Talk of Haptics, Telematics and Prosthetics- the whole idea of technology as an extension of the self and its senses and capabilities- and being present somewhere even when you are physically far away. These concepts brought to my mind a lot of the themes presented in a cult classic anime series, Ghost In The Shell (pictured here, images from Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 movie).

In the year 2029, the world is connected by a vast electronic network that pervades all aspects of life, and cybernetic implants have become the norm. The main character, a police major with a wholly cybernetic body, is able to hack into the real life occurring  conversations of others through this network, and uses it to her advantage in solving police cases.

The anime brought up a lot of philosophical questions about the boundary between human and machine, as well as the definition of “human” in a society where the mind can be copied and body synthesized. Just as well, it brings up the scary prospect of surveillance in all aspects of life- privacy does not exist in this world.