The Man With the Bionic Leg

Zac Vawter lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident, but yesterday, he became the first person to climb Chicago's Willis Tower with a bionic limb. He wears a prosthetic leg that is completely controlled by his mind, weighs ten pounds, and resembles something out of a sci-fi movie.

This marks an incredible stride made in the field of prosthesis, but I can't help be reminded of the future imagined by William Gibson in "Neuromancer." I'm not saying I think these advancements are necessarily dangerous to our society, but we will have to be careful about what direction the development goes in this field. I don't like the future Gibson offers, especially the fact that everyone seems to need to make physical alterations to their body for the sake of vanity in order to fit in. I believe in a more organic way of living, and I think these alterations should only be made in extreme medical situations where the change would make them more human in the eyes of society. I think this applies to Vawter's situation. With only one leg, he may be seen as an outcast and will have to make adjustments that others don't have to. However, his mind-controlled prosthetic allows him to function as everyone else does, and he isn't viewed as disabled or outcast.  I think he proved this point by accomplishing "SkyRise Chicago."

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1282719--man-with-thought-controlled-bionic-leg-climbs-103-floors