5 Reasons You Might Be A Cyborg

You’re just a regular human…living a regular human life. Right? Not quite: Though we’re not all Terminators quite yet, human “cyborgization” is on the rise—and according to the latest paper in Brookings's robotics series you may have more in common with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous human-machine hybrid than you think. Here are five reasons you might already be a cyborg:

1. You use a cell phone.

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If you use a cell phone, then you’re already well on your way to being a cyborg. As anyone who’s ever walked down a city street (or the 65% of Americans who sleep next to their phones) knows, our phones are basically attached to our bodies. These mini-computers give us superhuman-like abilities to navigate the world, find romantic partners and everything in between.

2. You’ve purchased “wearable technology” like Google Glass, Fitbit or Samsung Galaxy Gear.

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For better or for worse, wearable technology is becoming a way of life. If you’re not shy about strapping on devices to record your steps, track your heart rate or take pictures when you wink, you’re definitely entering cyborg territory.

3. You have a pacemaker, robotic prosthetic, or another kind of embedded device.

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These aren't your great grandpa’s prosthetics: Modern day assistive devices are more than just inanimate separate objects— from “eyeborgs” that allow people to “hear” color, to wireless pacemakers that monitor multiple vitals—if you’ve got one of these devices, you’re definitely blurring the lines between human and machine.

4. You've read printed news.

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Not convinced that you’re a cyborg yet? Well, some people argue that your body doesn’t even have to undergo any physical modification for you to join the ranks of human-machine hybrids, as long your brain is being influenced by technology. Those in this camp even point to the printing press as an example of our descent into cyborgization, since it “boosts our cognitive abilities by allowing us to off-load and communicate ideas out into the environment.”

5. You are the Terminator.

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Then, yeah, you're probably already a cyborg.