Advancements in technology are changing lives for the better. Human augmentation is defined as one of those life-changing technologies that is amplifying humans’ physical and mental abilities. For a better understanding, this technology includes prosthetics, chip implants, and wearable devices such as the exoskeleton—a wearable device that augments, assists, and physically activates construction workers, and other devices.
The growing use of AI technologies in the healthcare industry as well as in the fitness and construction industries is supporting the growth of the market drastically. According to the research conducted by OMR, the global human augmentation market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 20.1% during the forecast period of 2022–2028.
Types of Human Augmentation Devices
Human augmentation devices are not only used in physical augmentation but in the psychological and neurological development of a person as well. There are mainly three types of human augmentation devices existing on the market, including:
Action—Physical Workforce/Energy—Augmentation
The action augmentation devices are useful in the construction and manufacturing industries. These devices assist in increasing physical stability, supporting body weight and other heavy lifting, and others. Some examples of this type of device include exoskeletons; prosthetics—arms, legs, fingers, etc.; and others.
Senses—Speech, Hearing, Sight—Augmentation
With sense augmenting devices, a person with sensory impairments such as blindness, deafness, and speech impairments can be assisted. Moreover, these devices are useful for a person who doesn’t have any vision or speech impairments, as well as to increase their senses.
A few devices that assist in sensory augmentations include eSight—an eyeglass for a blind person; MotionSavvy—a device to covert speech into sign language for a deaf person; Cochlear Implants—a hearing device; and AAC devices—for speech-impaired people.
Neurological—Brain Activity—Augmentation
Neurological augmentation devices are useful in assisting cognitive disorders, human-computer interactions, and neuroscience. The devices that are used for cognitive augmentation include VR (virtual reality) devices; chip implants in the brain—Neuralink by Elon Musk; and others.
Augmentation Devices in the Healthcare Industry
Apart from the above applications, human augmentation devices are useful in the healthcare industry as well, to develop new cells in the body, train nurses, do medical imaging, and dentistry, among others.
For instance, Nanobots—small robots that can kill cancer cells and assist the body’s immune system to work better; Artificial blood cells—this can create new blood cells inside the body; HAL suit—helps patients move with ease without the medical staff’s support.
Recent Developments in the Market
Many companies, including Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Google LLC, Ekso Bionics, Vuzix Corp., Garmin Ltd., Raytheon, and BrainGate, Neuralink, and Bionik Laboratories Corporation, among others, are playing an important role in serving the global human augmentation market. A new market player, Integem, develops STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) devices; Holographic AR Coding; AI-based holographic augmented reality; and others. Some of the recent activities by some new and existing market contributors include-
• In August 2022, Xiaomi launched its AR-based Mijia smart glasses. These glasses can capture the images in front of them and save them on the smartphone of the user.
• In August 2022, Vuzix—manufacturer and developer of smart glasses and AR-based technology—signed an agreement with L3Harris Technologies to develop a waveguide-based optics engine to assist in military operations.
• In August 2021, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. introduced the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. These watches include Samsung’s BioActive Sensor, which allows real-time measurement of many body composition metrics such as fat%, blood oxygen, and hydration levels.
Major Investment in the Human Augmentation Market
MindPortal—a brain analysis and assessment device developer—is aiming to develop a wearable device capable of allowing the brain to create fully enveloping realities to experience alone or with others. According to the reports, the company raised a $5 million investment for the new brain assessment wearable device.
The Future of Human Augmentation Devices
The various applications of these augmentation devices on different platforms are the key to the future growth of human augmentation technology. Numerous companies are launching new devices each year. For example, Xiaomi's Mijia smart glasses, Neuralink's brain chip, Onera Health's bio-impedance patch to diagnose sleep apnea, and the Raspberry Pi Zero wrist patch to control smartphones and virtual reality headsets.
Moreover, another invention, "Bioprinting"—a process to print cells and biomaterials of the human body—is gaining traction as well. TissueLabs is innovating this technology by focusing on building human organs and tissues. In addition, the brain-computer interface (BCI), which promises to control brain activities and increase brain neuron potential, This allows interaction between humans and machines. These inventions are driving the growth of the market extensively.
Conclusion
Human augmentation technologies are rectifying and developing human brains as well as their physics. These devices are able to alter and enhance human experiences naturally with technological assistance. Whether for physical impairments or enhanced senses, this technology is on the right track. However, this technology needs to be used correctly in order to take its full advantage.