Human performance enhancement: Status report 2023
Publish date: 2024-05-08
Report number: FOI-R--5567--SE
Pages: 26
Written in: Swedish
Keywords:
- human enhancement
- neural interface
- BCI
- HPE
- HPO
- invasive
- non-invasive
Abstract
Technologies for military purposes are becoming more and more advanced, while human creativity and adaptability continue to play a central role in the quest for military superiority. System effectiveness relies on a combination of available equipment and users with the capacity to use it, i.e. the human ability is crucial. The concept of human enhancement is broad and refers to techniques and methods that aim to improve people's abilites to function and increase their capacity to carry out tasks. Advances in a number of different areas of technology have increased the possibility to realize human enhancement in both the short and long term. In the longer term, the possibilities of neural interfaces with the brain are being discussed, where current efforts are aimed at improving both invasive and non-invasive brain-computer interfaces. The combination of increased computational capacity and the use of artificial intelligence has created a renewed interest in the possibilities of interfaces that utilize non-invasive techniques. Such interfaces are also examples of technology that is associated with many different issues and gives rise to discussions about possible long term implications for individuals, organizations and society. The report provides an overview of the work carried out within the project over the past year. The work described is also the basis for further studies in the coming years, which are intended to focus on analysing technologies and methods for human enhancement from different ethical, legal and societal perspectives.