Human Enhancement

This unit asks students to consider the range of factors and the implications of human technological enhancements, focussing on brain-computer interfaces.

Human enhancements can be used to improve human functioning, such as a cochlea implant can help deaf people hear. This unit looks at other technological enhancements including bionic arms, robotic exoskeletons and artificial heart pumps. However, its main focus is on brain-computer interfaces which interact with the brain by recording or stimulating brain signals. Pupils learn that the use of this technology needs to be evidence-informed and that a range of factors need to be considered before it is used such as evaluating the impact on the individual and wider society.

In this activity groups of pupils choose an application of brain-computer interfaces they wish to research and discuss. They identify the moral and ethical questions that this type of technology raises and then prepare a presentation highlighting the benefits and risks. Once presented to the whole class pupils vote on whether to approve or not approve the technology.

This resource is part of a series of units from 'Science Beyond the Boundaries' which can be used for interdisciplinary teaching about applications of science and is designed for use in sixth-form enrichment programmes. 

This unit has 5 main phases, lasting up to 9 hours in total. Three phases take place in the classroom and the remainder can be completed either independently or as classwork. It contains 3 activities in total and those that require specialist resources are found in the documents listed below along with teacher guidance and a presentation. For the final presentations in phase 5 (Activity 3) there is an information sheet to support pupils.