Human Enhancement Technologies Workshop

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) is conducting a workshop to examine the many implications of human enhancement technologies (HET). Depending on the application, HET could be considered to cover anything from advanced prosthetics, through to pharmaceutical enhancements, cognitive implants, and brain-computer interfaces. These technologies aim to enhance human performance and behavior, including strength, stamina, memory, and even one’s moral compass. Amongst other uses, they are likely to be adopted in a military and security context. We will examine potential applications, and the legal, ethical, policy, and societal issues they raise. We have developed an initial policy paper and a framework designed to serve as a mechanism for identifying key issues raised by HET.  

The workshop brings together a diverse group of recognized experts who share an interest in this topic and wish to help build a useful platform for future collaboration.  The workshop will feature plenary session briefings as well as working sessions so we can begin to refine our framework and policy paper.  The results of the workshop will be folded into the paper and published for use broadly by academics as well as technology developers and policymakers. Our hope is that the group will identify future opportunities for more in-depth analysis on particular issues.