Researchers at Princeton and Johns Hopkins universities used a 3-D printer to create bionic ears with auditory powers far beyond the natural human endowment. A look at the implications.

All Ears for a Revolution

By DANIEL AKST

The singularity may not be near, but it’s getting close enough that you might just hear it coming—if you had the kind of synthetic ears scientists recently developed.

The singularity is a term used by futurists for the merger of human and machine into an infinitely malleable, self-determining species with powers of intelligence that flesh-and-blood-mortals can only dream of. Although superhuman mental powers aren’t yet on the horizon, the new ears remind us that our future is very likely bionic.

Human ears are a problem for plastic surgeons. But writing in Nano Letters, researchers at Princeton and Johns Hopkins universities described how they used a standard 3-D printer to create bionic ears with auditory powers far beyond the natural human endowment. The technique lets scientists mimic the structural complexity of the ear while achieving a wider range of audible frequencies through the embedded electronics. They used the printed ear to culture genuine cartilage in vitro from calf cells.Once they had one ear, the scientists printed another that was the mirror image, and then had both listen to Beethoven’s “Für Elise” while linked to loudspeakers. Researchers were able to assess the sound quality—which was good.

All human progress is in some sense an effort to transcend biology, so it’s no surprise that the body itself has become a focus for innovation. Scientists and medical device firms are developing a range of inventive therapeutic devices, including artificial kidneys, retinal implants and sensors such as electronic tattoos that can monitor vital signs. Already several countries have approved a partly organic synthetic heart for human implantation.

Tissue engineering, used to grow new skin for burn patients, will allow even greater advances, such as custom heart valves. Eventually these creations will surpass the originals, and the Olympic controversy over sprinter Oscar Pistorius’ artificial legs will seem quaint—to say nothing of what genetic engineering will offer.

Technology and social change are always entwined. In Western societies, people can already choose to a great extent who they are, including their own gender. It can’t be long before a host of superhuman powers will be available and the meaning of the term “human” is contested.

Which superhuman powers would you want? Be careful: Just look at King Midas, granted his wish to be able to turn everything into gold.

In the future, we’ll have the power to change our very natures. En route, for better or worse, we’ll just have to play it by ear.