Hwk_4elements_Example

=Thought-controlled devices a step closer= [] Authors: Giovanna Tomasi and Omar Alvarez

Impact
This new technology may be a way of helping people with fiscal limitations to have greater and more normal lives and form part of the society in a better and more active way by being able to do much more things comfortably. In this ways people with no arms will be able to have arms controlled with their thoughts, like you and I control our own arms, just with the difference these would be mechanical arms. Also this thinking control mechanism may impact other areas apart from health like in sciences, allowing people to control A robot that is walking in a planet where humans can't live or inside a volcano. These technology allows us to have better and more accurate control of the robot or devices we are using.

Technology
This technology works receiving electro signals that go from the brain to the sensors in the device, this makes the use of this a very easy task, it moves as if it was a real part of your body. The sensors may be connected to any part where there are nervous terminals, like your chest or your head (brain). Is very precise/accurate as it permits people to pick up things like a plastic bottle or a sheet of paper. The output devices from all the signal may depend on the use, as it may be an arm, a leg, a wheel chair or any other mechanism, even a complete robot.

Social / Ethical issues
There are many issues that raise like with any new technology. Maybe this may develop till it is not too expensive and everybody will be able to use it like luxury. Now that a robot is able to read people nervous system in the brain many new stuff doing the same may be develop. Of course as for now it may only divide those that have access to this kind of technology and those that can't. Another issue is how reliable, precise and accurate are the devices. What happens if I think of a movement my arm can't do, or what happens if I want to pick up something heavier than I can. And what about the feedback, it all relies in humans vision, but as the person never receives a signal that he is touching something, then his hand may be burning or being crushed and you wouldn't even notice. What about electricity? does this means they would need to connect to the light on an every day basis? Imagine a guy with this kind of arm is driving his way home and suddenly the battery drains out, he wouldn't be able to drive thus leaving him in a potential risk situation. So there are many things that need to be tested and thought before this kind of technology may become mainstream.

Stakeholders
The principal stakeholders as I mentioned before are people with some fiscal impairment. Also Medical clinics that would be able to put them and give maintenance. Some governments may also be interested as people using healthcare systems may want to get them. People who start hiring impaired people with thought-control devices, as they may think of the issues mentioned before.