Re: Genetic Sex change operations?

Dennis Roberts (droberts@netvectors.com)
Mon, 31 May 1999 15:52:43 -0400

Spike Jones wrote:

> Is it imaginable that some form of nanorganism could be made
> to reside in our cells, perhaps devouring a small share of the
> ATP produced by the mitochondria, and providing in return,
> some... some what? Intuition? spike

How about something a little less nanotechnologically intensive. A device, or collection of devices that aids homeostasis- monitors internal states and tweaks them back to optimum- that resides in the stomach and/or intestinal tract. A cybernetic " tapeworm". A minimally invasive device, it could even be modular like a tapeworm. It might be powered by the potential difference between the proximal and distal small intestine or even a methane (lots of that in the gut) fuel cell. With a gut length of about ten meters, even a device with only a ten millimeter cross-section would have plenty of room for a lot of useful technology and if modular, an defective module could just be jetisoned and replaced by a swallowed update. With an extension into the hepatic tract it could even have access to the circulation through the portal system. It would be repairable insitu ( endoscopy ) and with a through-the abdomen port ( belly button?) even better access to the outside could be possible. Dennis Roberts
droberts@a-o.com