Opinion by the European Group on Ethics in Science & New Technol. Info. & Communication Technol. (ICT) pervade our lives & are becoming more & more a part of our bodies, either because we wear them (wearable computing) or because they are implanted in our bodies. Although ICT implants (such as cardiac pacemakers) may be used to repair deficient bodily capabilities, they can also be misused, particularly if these devices are accessible via digital networks. This Opinion will raise awareness & questions concerning the ethical dilemmas created by a range of ICT implants in this field. Proposes clear ethical boundaries, legal principles & suggests several steps that should be taken by responsible regulators. Text in English, French & German. Illus.

Human information and communication technology (ICT) implants have developed for many years in a medical context. Such applications have become increasingly advanced, in some cases modifying fundamental brain function. Today, comparatively low-tech implants are being increasingly employed in non-therapeutic contexts, with applications ranging from the use of ICT implants for VIP entry into nightclubs, automated payments for goods, access to secure facilities and for those with a high risk of being kidnapped. Commercialisation and growing potential of human ICT implants have generated debate over the ethical, legal and social aspects of the technology, its products and application. Despite stakeholders calling for greater policy and legal certainty within this area, gaps have already begun to emerge between the commercial reality of human ICT implants and the current legal frameworks designed to regulate these products. This book focuses on the latest technological developments and on the legal, social and ethical implications of the use and further application of these technologies.

Along with the introduction of technology in nearly every facet of human life comes the question of the ethical side of using technology to improve the human condition, whether that be physically or mentally. The capabilities of human enhancement technologies have created a dual-sided approach to discussing human enhancement: the critical approach of attempting to reach human perfection and the ethics within that idea and the endless capabilities of technology that have greatly impacted the medical field. It is essential to discuss both aspects within these emerging technologies, whether as separate entities or as cohesive units. Ranging from disease detection and treatment to implants and prosthetics to robotics and genetic engineering, human enhancement technologies are widespread and multi-purposed. By going beyond the capabilities of human hands, these technologies have propelled modern medicine and healthcare to new levels that have allowed humans to face new treatments or assistive technologies not seen before. The Research Anthology on Emerging Technologies and Ethical Implications in Human Enhancement covers the primary technologies and tools being used in medicine and healthcare along with discussions on the ethics of enhancing the human body. Topics covered include prosthetics and implants, robotics, human disorders/diseases and treatments and smart technologies, along with law and theory. This publication serves as a valuable reference work for doctors, medical professionals, researchers, students, professionals, and practitioners involved in fields that include ethics, medicine, computer science, robotics, genetics, assistive technologies, nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, and biotechnology.

This book comprehensively and systematically treats modern understanding of the Nano-Bio-Technology and its therapeutic applications. The contents range from the nanomedicine, imaging, targeted therapeutic applications, experimental results along with modelling approaches. It will provide the readers with fundamentals on computational and modelling aspects of advanced nano-materials and nano-technology specifically in the field of biomedicine, and also provide the readers with inspirations for new development of diagnostic imaging and targeted therapeutic applications.

A cross-disciplinary approach is offered to consider the challenge of emerging technologies designed to enhance human bodies and minds. Perspectives from philosophy, ethics, law, and policy are applied to a wide variety of enhancements, including integration of technology within human bodies, as well as genetic, biological, and pharmacological modifications. Humans may be permanently or temporarily enhanced with artificial parts by manipulating (or reprogramming) human DNA and through other enhancement techniques (and combinations thereof). We are on the cusp of significantly modifying (and perhaps improving) the human ecosystem. This evolution necessitates a continuing effort to re-evaluate current laws and, if appropriate, to modify such laws or develop new laws that address enhancement technology. A legal, ethical, and policy response to current and future human enhancements should strive to protect the rights of all involved and to recognize the responsibilities of humans to other conscious and living beings, regardless of what they look like or what abilities they have (or lack). A potential ethical approach is outlined in which rights and responsibilities should be respected even if enhanced humans are perceived by non-enhanced (or less-enhanced) humans as “no longer human” at all.