The volume is collection of articles treating the topic of human improvement/enhancement from a variety of perspectives – philosophical, literary, medical, genetic, sociological, legal etc. The chapters in this volume treat not only those aspects that most immediately come to mind when one thinks of ‘human enhancement’, such as genetic engineering, cloning, artificial implants and artificial intelligence etc. Somewhat less obvious aspects include evolutionary perspectives in connection with the prolongation of the human lifespan, plastic surgery since its beginnings, and questions such as whether the distinction between ‘natural’ and ‘artificial’ can really be drawn at all and how it has been conceived across the ages, or what the legal implications are of recent developments and techniques. Many papers make links to the representation of these developments in popular culture, from Jules Verne through Aldous Huxley to the movie Gattaca, address the hopes and fears that come with them as well as the question how realistic these are. While all chapters are written by scientists at the international top of their respective fields, all are accessible to a non-specialist audience and eminently readable. We believe that they represent a state-of-the art overview of questions that are of interest to a large audience. The book thus targets a non-specialist audience with an interest in philosophical, sociological, scientific and legal issues involved in both traditional and recent matters concerning the desire of mankind to improve itself, the human body, the human mind and the human condition. It is unique in that it brings together all these aspects within a coherent and cohesive collection.

Every day, new warnings emerge about artificial intelligence rebelling against us. All the while, a more immediate dilemma flies under the radar. Have forces been unleashed that are thrusting humanity down an ill-advised path, one that's increasingly making us behave like simple machines? In this wide-reaching, interdisciplinary book, Brett Frischmann and Evan Selinger examine what's happening to our lives as society embraces big data, predictive analytics, and smart environments. They explain how the goal of designing programmable worlds goes hand in hand with engineering predictable and programmable people. Detailing new frameworks, provocative case studies, and mind-blowing thought experiments, Frischmann and Selinger reveal hidden connections between fitness trackers, electronic contracts, social media platforms, robotic companions, fake news, autonomous cars, and more. This powerful analysis should be read by anyone interested in understanding exactly how technology threatens the future of our society, and what we can do now to build something better.

“Though ours is an age of high technology, the essence of what engineering is and what engineers do is not common knowledge. Even the most elementary of principles upon which great bridges, jumbo jets, or super computers are built are alien concepts to many. This is so in part because engineering as a human endeavor is not yet integrated into our culture and intellectual tradition. And while educators are currently wrestling with the problem of introducing technology into conventional academic curricula, thus better preparing today’s students for life in a world increasingly technological, there is as yet no consensus as to how technological literacy can best be achieved. " I believe, and I argue in this essay, that the ideas of engineering are in fact in our bones and part of our human nature and experience. Furthermore, I believe that an understanding and an appreciation of engineers and engineering can be gotten without an engineering or technical education. Thus I hope that the technologically uninitiated will come to read what I have written as an introduction to technology. Indeed, this book is my answer to the questions 'What is engineering?' and 'What do engineers do?'" - Henry Petroski, To Engineer is Human

Now in paperback: "The most disturbing and damning report to date on the biotechnology revolution and its ethical and social consequences and risks".--Publishers Weekly. ". . . Mr. Kimbrell tells the story effectively and fully".--The New York Times Book Review.

Explores the breadth and versatility of Human Systems Engineering (HSE) practices and illustrates its value in system development A Framework of Human Systems Engineering: Applications and Case Studies offers a guide to identifying and improving methods to integrate human concerns into the conceptualization and design of systems. With contributions from a panel of noted experts on the topic, the book presents a series of Human Systems Engineering (HSE) applications on a wide range of topics: interface design, training requirements, personnel capabilities and limitations, and human task allocation. Each of the book's chapters present a case study of the application of HSE from different dimensions of socio-technical systems. The examples are organized using a socio-technical system framework to reference the applications across multiple system types and domains. These case studies are based in real-world examples and highlight the value of applying HSE to the broader engineering community. This important book: Includes a proven framework with case studies to different dimensions of practice, including domain, system type, and system maturity Contains the needed tools and methods in order to integrate human concerns within systems Encourages the use of Human Systems Engineering throughout the design process Provides examples that cross traditional system engineering sectors and identifies a diverse set of human engineering practices Written for systems engineers, human factors engineers, and HSI practitioners, A Framework of Human Systems Engineering: Applications and Case Studies provides the information needed for the better integration of human and systems and early resolution of issues based on human constraints and limitations.

This fascinating account of the histories of human engineering reveals the importance of combining technology with tact.

Biomedical engineering is the fastest growing engineering field. From designing life-saving medical devices to high-performance athletic gear, these engineers improve people's lives every day. This book explores the creative ways biomedical engineers help diagnose, treat, and prevent problems found in human body systems. Real-life examples make learning about the engineering design process interesting for readers. Practical, hands-on activities help readers to understand scientific and engineering principles.

An overview of engineering systems that describes the new challenges posed for twenty-first-century engineers by today's highly complex sociotechnical systems. Engineering, for much of the twentieth century, was mainly about artifacts and inventions. Now, it's increasingly about complex systems. As the airplane taxis to the gate, you access the Internet and check email with your PDA, linking the communication and transportation systems. At home, you recharge your plug-in hybrid vehicle, linking transportation to the electricity grid. Today's large-scale, highly complex sociotechnical systems converge, interact, and depend on each other in ways engineers of old could barely have imagined. As scale, scope, and complexity increase, engineers consider technical and social issues together in a highly integrated way as they design flexible, adaptable, robust systems that can be easily modified and reconfigured to satisfy changing requirements and new technological opportunities. Engineering Systems offers a comprehensive examination of such systems and the associated emerging field of study. Through scholarly discussion, concrete examples, and history, the authors consider the engineer's changing role, new ways to model and analyze these systems, the impacts on engineering education, and the future challenges of meeting human needs through the technologically enabled systems of today and tomorrow.

This book is designed to offer a comprehensive high-level introduction to transhumanism, an international political and cultural movement that aims to produce a “paradigm shift” in our ethical and political understanding of human evolution. Transhumanist thinkers want the human species to take the course of evolution into its own hands, using advanced technologies currently under development – such as robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cognitive neurosciences, and nanotechnology – to overcome our present physical and mental limitations, improve our intelligence beyond the current maximum achievable level, acquire skills that are currently the preserve of other species, abolish involuntary aging and death, and ultimately achieve a post-human level of existence. The book covers transhumanism from a historical, philosophical, and scientific viewpoint, tracing its cultural roots, discussing the main philosophical, epistemological, and ethical issues, and reviewing the state of the art in scientific research on the topics of most interest to transhumanists. The writing style is clear and accessible for the general reader, but the book will also appeal to graduate and undergraduate students.

Apply Engineering Fundamentals to Human Factors Applications With a sound qualitative, mathematical approach, this new book shows how to use fundamental engineering skills to solve human factors application problems. As readers learn to use the same mathematical and analytical methods that are applied to inanimate devices, systems, and processes, they'll enhance their understanding of the interface between human factors and engineering science. Plus, the book shows how to apply human factors engineering concepts to ergonomic engineering practice and biomedical engineering, including evaluating the trade off in equipment design and human operator capabilities. Hey Features * A review of the relevant engineering fundamentals is provided prior to introducing the human factors applications. * Numerous worked examples, integrated throughout the text, show students how the relevant equations are used in a real-world human factors application. * Matlab is employed in the worked examples. This allows quantitative simulation of human operator performance that involves systems of simultaneous linear equations and non-linear equations.