Tech-ready humans: Think the other way round

It is not unusual to contemplate a time when technology will literally change the face of humankind. If down the millennia, we have dispensed with such things as tails and increased the space in the cranium to accommodate larger brains, it would not be inconceivable that other anthropological attributes will alter. Consider the sorts of new posture-related diseases that currently plague users of what are now commonplace technologies such as mobile phones and laptops, such as tech necks, frozen shoulders, sprained hands, etc. All these malaises beg the idea that perhaps things would be easier all round if the human form simply adapts itself as the world becomes more virtual and information needs to be processed faster and faster.

Some helpful adaptations would certainly promote more efficient use of the gadgetry that will become practically extensions of our bodies. For instance, if not an extra hand, then at least an additional finger or two could lessen the load on the current 10; slimmer configurations would also aid in the use of more compact keyboards. More panoramic eyesight, longer, sharper Mr Spock-like ears would also be very practical. A more flexible spine allowing near-360° movement of particularly the head would be of incalculable help.

It would be wonderful if a laboratory or think-tank could come up with a prototype of a notional neo-human being who can be configured easily to the demands of technology — instead of the other way round, as is the current norm. That would be an entirely separate stream of research from those bent on developing artificial intelligence and humanoid robots, naturally. Once an ideal tech-ready neo-human is figured out, though, the difficult part would be to figure out how the infinitesimally slow normal process of such changes can be speeded up!