PostHole
Compose
Login
Bodies, brains and computers
We've been building computers to think like us for years, but our ability to replicate human senses has been impossible. Until now.
Evolutionary biologist and broadcaster Professor Ben Garrod, is off to meet some of the sensory innovators and technological pioneers who are developing human like-sensing technology. From skin patches that can read our sugar levels, to brain implants that could use our thoughts to control computers. This is the technology that could blur the boundary between body, mind, and computer chip.
We meet Jules Howard, a zoologist who uses VR to help us explore the anatomical worlds inside animals. Jules shows us the inner-workings of a ducks vagina. We meet Anagram, who’s augmented reality experiences can visualise the inner-worlds of those experiencing schizophrenia and ADHD. We play with the health monitors and wearable tech that claim they could make us fitter, happier, and more productive humans. And meet Dr David Putrino, a clinician with Mount Sinai in New York, who’s conducting some of the first medically-approved surgery for brain implants.
Presenter: Professor Ben Garrod
Producer: Robbie Wojciechowski
Production co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris
(Image: Artificial intelligence robot and binary. Credit: Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images)
Accessibility links
BBC World Service
Discovery
- Discovery Home
- Episodes
- Galleries
- Podcast
- Join us on Facebook
Main content
Listen now
Bodies, brains and computers
Discovery
Professor Ben Garrod plays with the wearable tech helping track to our health and meets pioneers of brain implants. Could all this technology help us learn more about ourselves?
We've been building computers to think like us for years, but our ability to replicate human senses has been impossible. Until now.
Evolutionary biologist and broadcaster Professor Ben Garrod, is off to meet some of the sensory innovators and technological pioneers who are developing human like-sensing technology. From skin patches that can read our sugar levels, to brain implants that could use our thoughts to control computers. This is the technology that could blur the boundary between body, mind, and computer chip.
We meet Jules Howard, a zoologist who uses VR to help us explore the anatomical worlds inside animals. Jules shows us the inner-workings of a ducks vagina. We meet Anagram, who’s augmented reality experiences can visualise the inner-worlds of those experiencing schizophrenia and ADHD. We play with the health monitors and wearable tech that claim they could make us fitter, happier, and more productive humans. And meet Dr David Putrino, a clinician with Mount Sinai in New York, who’s conducting some of the first medically-approved surgery for brain implants.
Presenter: Professor Ben Garrod
Producer: Robbie Wojciechowski
Production co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris
(Image: Artificial intelligence robot and binary. Credit: Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images)
###
####
Higher quality (128kbps)
Lower quality (64kbps)
Available now
28 minutes
Last on
Tue 18 Jul 2023
19:32GMT
BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
More episodes
Previous
Next
See all episodes from Discovery
Broadcasts
Mon 17 Jul 2023
19:32GMT
BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa & BBC Afghan Radio
Tue 18 Jul 2023
04:32GMT
BBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean, South Asia & East Asia only
Tue 18 Jul 2023
12:32GMT
BBC World Service except East Asia & South Asia
Space
The eclipses, spacecraft and astronauts changing our view of the Universe
The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry
[The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry]
A pair of scientific sleuths answer your perplexing questions. Ask them anything!
Podcast
Discovery
Explorations in the world of science.
Similar programmes
By genre:
- Factual > Science & Nature
By format:
Magazines & Reviews
[BBC World Service homepage]
News in more than 40 languages