The literal penetration of the skin by technoscience, whether in the form of antibiotics, agrichemicals, prosthetics, or information technologies, is only one aspect of our cyborgisation. …when the body exposed its workings, allowed its orifices to be penetrated, its interior humours to seep forth, this invariably signified the inversion of other, the coming of chaos, horror, and decay. Whether this inversion was figured by the gluttonous, shitting, fucking grotesques of the Renaissance carnival, by Nazi racial sciences’ physiognomy of the Jew, with its slack lips and protruding nose, or Neoclassicism’s mingled desire and revulsion for female flesh, it always carried the same meaning. The classical body has for two thousand years stood sealed (inside and out) against a torrent of disproportionate, irrationational, exaggerated physicality, which, were it to escape threatened to sweep away the very foundations of civilised society. (1)

Should the chaotic organic carbon life form be supplanted by silicon neat and tidy life forms. Properly evolved at version 1.2 rather than 2002.

	Dawkins: Once upon a time there was Dawkins: carbon based life, Dawkins: and it gave over to, Dawkins: silicon based life. Dawkins: I don't view the prospect with equanimity Dawkins: maybe I'm just sentimental (2)

Energy boxed in and on a – sound desk – lighting desk – computer desk. Desk bound. Transducers change one signal into another – this video when it turns red will make the pitch of the sound change. Its amazing what computers can do these days - maybe we should stitch them all together. The most inspiring thing for me visiting General Robotic's in Milton Keynes was their software Adder view which worked on very ordinary PCs which were linked together and could be operated by one controller - augmented reality. This is similiar to a future vision of technology where small elements link together forming different tools depending on the configuration.

	Dancers, through their training, have a highly developed movement memory, a precise sense of timing and a capacity to grasp abstract ideas and transform them into movement. While many choreographers fail to accept the notion that evolving technologies can offer them new platforms of experimentation, digital artists often fail to realise that a collaborator with a background in dance can be a valuable resource. If this situation should be resolved, it must be through the introduction of digital technology into the process of educating dance-based artists. Then dancers and choreographers can decide for themselves if they need to use the digital toolbox in their work. (3)

Maybe its not time to ditch the body yet.

	Instead think puppets. At a basic level, physical disability is really just a form of puppetry. If you’ve ever marvelled at how someone can bring a smudged sock puppet to life or talked back to Elmo and Grover, then intellectually you’re already there. Puppetry is the original brain-machine interface. It entertains because it shows you how this interface can be (trans)ported to different platforms. (4)

Movement – it is the key to animation of the inanimate. Creating an autonomous being that moves independently is tough. Articulation of limbs for an upright being is considerably a challenge.

	The computer has to know – to have the information programmed into it – you have to calculate the change in each joint – to really break down the structure of movement before it can be rebuilt up virtually. Walking is controlled falling – capturing this dichotomy within robotics is extremely hard – things can not artificially free fall – they merely fall. (5)

Four legged cyber pets can be brought from the Sony shop but most robots have WHEELS. Would you give up your legs for a set of wheels?

In America a Dean Kaman has invented the Segway (6) – it is a personal transportation device - a self balancing scooter – it is supposed to change the very way cities work replacing walking and bicycling. Will it have the same evolutionary effect that the development of upright posture had? I doubt it, but Harvard Business School Press have paid a million dollars for the book rights. (7)

Enabled bodies of the paralysed – enabled through a gold thread glued into the motor cortex. Brain cells grow towards the gold and the signal from the electrical activity of cells is amplified and codified and a cursor can be moved across a screen. Eventually the consideration that the computer is separate disappears and you have a true body extension. The brain controls the computer and the computer becomes the body.

	…after the first couple of experiments, I was sitting outside, waiting for my ride, and it hit me. I had caused something to move just by using my mind alone. The tears streamed down my face, because it was the first time I had done that since I got injured… (4)

During writing this part of my literary spine, I met Paul Douglas from CandoCo – a short man born without legs – his arms become his legs and his skill as a dancer has earned him respect - the wheelchair is secondary. Not only does his disability cut his life short physically but also in timescale.

Whilst you have got it – use it…