British scientist Dr Peter Scott-Morgan was diagnosed with a motor neurone disease back in 2017. In a bid to extend his life, the scientist worked to become the world’s first Cyborg. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.
Sadly, Dr Peter Scott-Morgan passed on Thursday, surrounded by family. However, he lives on through his brilliant determination to create the next-generation of humanity.
The world’s first Cyborg passes away
After his disease started to decrease motor function throughout his body, Scott-Morgan worked to create an artificial body for himself. When he found himself unable to smile, the scientist developed a life-like avatar that could smile for him.
As a robotics expert, Dr Scott-Morgan attempted to become a bionic person. The events of his experiments were covered in the documentary “The Man Who Turned Himself into a Cyborg”.
To become the world’s first Cyborg, Scott-Morgan replaced numerous body parts with machines. A device was installed to deliver nutrients directly to his stomach as well as one to remove waste.
Similar to deceased scientist Stephen Hawking, Scott-Morgan’s disease made him unable to speak. This led to the scientist travelling with a robotic wheelchair that was integrated with his body and speaking in computer generated voice based of his real voice.
Other procedures involved a device that separated trachea and oesophagus. This was a breathing apparatus that the scientist developed to get the optimum amount of air into his windpipe.
Unfortunately, all of these procedures didn’t extend the scientist’s life for very long. However, he did successfully live longer than the two years estimated by doctors.
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The Prototype of Neo Humans
Despite all of his work on becoming the world’s first Cyborg, Dr Peter Scott-Morgan always saw himself as a prototype. As he said numerous times, he was the catalyst for the next-generation, the blueprint for a “Neo Human” future.
“Ultimately, it's about everyone on earth breaking free,” the scientist said. “I'm lucky enough to be a prototype, and Neo human, an early experiment in how humanity can make a huge leap into our future."
The scientist believed that the rapid advancement of robotics and artificial intelligence will, one day, make cyborgs commonplace. While much of the scientist’s ideas may not become usable for mass market, his spirit has inspired how robotics will save lives.