Human 2.0: A Celebration of Human Bionics

Imagine being able to hear for the first time, or see in full-color, or take your first steps on Earth. This incredible book celebrates the remarkable achievements made in medical engineering, and offers a glimpse of what the future might hold for humanity.

Pioneering technological breakthroughs have truly changed lives. For some people, particularly those with disabilities, recent advances have crossed the realms of the purely imaginable, and reached a place of possibility. People with paraplegia can walk again, those who are hearing impaired can listen to even the faintest sounds, and some people with missing limbs can create beautiful works of art. This phenomenal book is a celebration of all that has been achieved so far, and a look at what might be possible in the near future. Is it inevitable that technology will surpass biology?

From cochlear implants and pacemakers, to bionic arms and legs, this empowering book also features spotlights on pioneers including Paralympians Richard Whitehead and Blake Leeper, and the world's first 'cyborg' Neil Harbisson.

Reviewed by and featuring content written by Mayo Clinic rehabilitation specialist Sherilyn Driscoll, MD.

Mayo Clinic Press Kids creates empowering health and wellness content in partnership with pediatric experts. Proceeds from the sale of every book go to benefit important medical research and education at Mayo Clinic.

 

Patrick Kane is a motivational speaker, campaigner, Ambassador to The UK Sepsis Trust. In 2010, he was fitted with a revolutionary bionic arm - the I-Limb Pulse, after contracting septicaemia as a baby. He has since gone on to carry the Olympic torch through Trafalgar Square as part of the London 2012 Olympic Games ceremony, spoke at TEDxTeen in 2014 and appeared at WIRED Next Generation in 2015.

Samuel Rodriguez is based out of San José, California and has seen his work shown in public art spaces, museums, companies, galleries and in editorial publications. For a number of years he was self-taught through the graffiti scene, until he later decided to expand his studies by pursuing a Bachelor in Fine Arts at California College of the Arts. Rodriguez has since blended what he absorbed from both experiences to create his current style.