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The evolution of cybernetic organisms; How would such a speices develop?
Topic Started: Apr 15 2009, 09:27 PM (1,381 Views)
Xenophile
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Formerly known as alienboy.
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Science fiction loves cyborgs, and so do I . What would cause an alien civilization ( or even humans ), to evolve into a cybernetic organism? Some soilders or disabled people have artificial limbs and some elderly people have pacemakers, but what would give rise to a cyborg or a collective intelligence? Post your thoughts here.
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Viergacht
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faceless fiend
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Not sure exactly how a piece of nonliving material could evolve - I suppose with some kind of self-aware programming and the ability to repair itself? Or nanobot swarms that live in the body and rebuild it according to the person's commands or what the environment demands. A lot of people interested in predicting the future are pumping for uploading human consciousnesses into a worldwide net of nanobots, which is what I went for with my project (although the bots eventually dump the human minds back into meat bodies).
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Yorick
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We could never evolve robotic components.

We could only evolve resistance to our body rejecting robotic components applied to after birth.
"I believe, that whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...stranger"

-The Dark Knight (2008)
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CarrionTrooper
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I require more vespene gas?!?
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Ya know, this 'happened' in one of my race. They were once biological, but due to constant warfare they modified their bodies bit by bit. Eventually, their home planet's condition worsen, and they turn almost fully cybernetic (only the brain remains)... more here http://spec-evolution.sytes.net/topic/588449/
look for the Mekanarods.
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Xenophile
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Formerly known as alienboy.
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Of course you could never evolve robotic parts, but what would cause a society to alter their bodies with robotioc parts or form a collective intelligence. I'm saying that THEY intervine with nature.
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CarrionTrooper
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I require more vespene gas?!?
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constant warfare + detoriating home planet condition? That's what makes the Mekanarods turn to cybernetics.
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Yorick
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Something as shallow as fashion and a display of social status could be the reason for people using cybernetic parts
"I believe, that whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...stranger"

-The Dark Knight (2008)
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Toad of Spades
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Maybe to increase intelligence, like finding a way to connect our brain to a tiny high powered computer. Over time they could find the organic brain unrequired and find a way to create a fully electronic brain. Then the same thing with the body, and so forth. As for evolution, maybe an updated version or model is used to replace outdated versions of body parts or systems.
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Rodge the Linkbot
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There has been some research into brain-computer interfaces. The one that comes to mind first (and I want the most) is a subdermal implant that uses wires or something similar to connect to the hippocampus and sort of work as a back-up/better part. Basically, perfected memories through computers.

As for cybernetic evolution it has been theorized about by Singulatarians (I'm not sure if I agree with them, but I should throw it out there) that a computer with high enough intelligence could design a better computer, that could design a better computer, and then a better computer, better computer, better computer, better, better, e.t.c.
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Xenophile
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Formerly known as alienboy.
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What if the next step in evolution is a creature that upgrades its biological parts with robotic parts but still keeps its brain only with upgraded computing power and memory?
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ATEK Azul
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what about digital evolving organisms like the avita program?

maybe they could take over machines eventually and start creating material bodys that they upgrade acording too the evolution of the primary programs.
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
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Temporary
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The Avita programs turning into the Maverick Virus? Cool.

As for a possible evolution of a collective consciousness, in a way, we're sort of on the way. Myspace, Youtube, television, even the radio makes us more and more connected to each other. Once we have brain-computer interfaces it isn't a far step to a group-mind, not a perfective collective like the Borg, but very close.

Or, for a more with-in-reach view, military. Soldiers trying to speed up communication in times of war, using implants for quick transfer of information (Orders, status, eventually sensory information). Maybe even permanently joining together... I think it's less likely but deserves mentioning.
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ATEK Azul
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What about transformers how likely are they and do you all think humans can build them some day?

I also found some art for a very unique robotic ecosystem, http://bfwingardiii.deviantart.com/art/Machinate-Evolutionis-77405800

I like the art alot but what about its possibility?
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
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Xenophile
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Formerly known as alienboy.
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To boost this topic, I will talk about a man who has recently been in the news for his connection with technology. Rob spence has spent $30,000 on develope a robotic camera to take the place of his eye. Check it out here http://www.popsci./scitech/article/2009-06/eye-robot . In other news, I relized how we may merge with machines in the future. Technology is growing closer to us. Think of it this way, we watch T.V. from about 10 feet away, we use the computer from 1 foot away, we use the cellphone from a few inches away when we text and we listen to i-pods with the earbuds in our ears.
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Ànraich
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L'évolution Spéculative est moi

If you were to build nanobots that acted as cells; capable of gathering materials, replicating itself, building "organs" and "tissues" by grouping in colonies, and transmitting data between each other you end up with something that is artificially made and can evolve. Because they can transmit data and build they can become specialized through self-modification and form organisms.

All we have to do is put a group of them together, program them to adapt as needed to be the most efficient they can be in their environment. Given that they are not in a stable environment (as one might find in a lab) they should evolve in the same way that living organisms do. Of course they will not be as diverse as they lack the sudden mutations that naturally occur in DNA that can end up making a new species, but I'm sure you could simulate that somehow too.

EDIT: And, to clarify, they would never stop evolving because nature is dynamic and therefore the environment is constantly changing, meaning that they would never stop adapting in an attempt to be more efficient.
Edited by Ànraich, Jul 18 2009, 08:35 PM.
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