State of cyborg
science & technologies
We focus on technologies that lie on the critical path to accomplish our mission, balancing bold, long-term goals with short-term impact and commercial viability.
Notable breakthroughs
A man lived 555 days with artificial heart
And even played basketball, while waiting for transplant
Recovery of lung function after 149 days on ECMO
36-year old man with COVID-19 stayed on ECMO long-term
Human liver preserved ExVivo for 17 days
36-year old man with COVID-19 stayed on ECMO long-term
Normothermic organ perfusion
Normothermic organ perfusion machines preserve organ vitality by simulating heart and lung function, circulating oxygenated blood or a synthetic perfusate. Without these technologies, organs become unviable within hours. Shockingly, over 90% of potential donor organs are discarded due to the lack of timely matching recipients. Perfusion machines hold the key to solving the organ donation crisis.
Our vision goes a step further: developing a perfusion machine for the human head. Keeping a disembodied head in homeostasis would mark the first tangible step toward becoming a cyborg.
We are planning a series of experiments, performed on pigs, to establish the viability of head perfusion and to optimize the functionality of a perfusion device. To achieve this, we will integrate a liver into the perfusion circuit alongside the head, creating a more complex and realistic system. The circuit will be supplied with autologous blood, supplemented with donor blood and synthetic additives, allowing us to fine-tune the device and its parameters. In the long term, achieving a scalable solution will require the synthesis of all blood components.
Tech in progress
Our focus
Rodents | Mammals | Humans | Clinicals | Market | |
Brain | 6h+ Post Mortem Bexorg , Yale | 6h+ Post Mortem Bexorg, Yale | |||
Detached head | 2h+ 1928, Brukhonenko | ||||
Heart | 24h TransMedics | 6h TransMedics | |||
Liver | 13d Puliano | 4d Now, Puliano | 24h TransMedics | ||
Kidney | 7d N. Won | 24h XVIVO |
Artificial organs
Humanity has developed technologies to replicate vital organ functions, advancing from in-hospital devices to ambulatory systems and biocompatible wearables.
To mission requires replicating the mechanical functions of four key organs: the heart and lungs, which regulate blood pressure and oxygenation, and the liver and kidneys, which process and remove waste. Current solutions, such as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and ventricular assist devices for the heart and lungs, and dialysis and bioartificial liver devices for the liver and kidneys, provide only short-term support.
These technologies remain insufficient for long-term use due to challenges with durability, biocompatibility, and immune integration. Addressing these issues is essential to develop sustainable, long-term solutions.
Strong solution available
Weak solution availalble
Critical tech in progress
Tech in progress
Concept | Rodents | Mammals | Humans | Clinicals | Market | |
Heart | 555 days Syncardia, Wear | |||||
Lungs | 30 days ModELAS, Wear | 151 days ECMO, Stay | ||||
Kidney | ? 2023, Redial, Wear | Decades Dialisis, Visit, 60k$ / year | ||||
Liver | 7 days 2023, Wearable | 21 days MARS, Stay |
Synthetic blood
Blood is a complex fluid composed of cellular and non-cellular components, each playing a distinct role in sustaining life. Red blood cells act as oxygen carriers, platelets are essential for hemostasis, white blood cells provide immunity, and blood plasma contains molecular factors critical to tissue function and maintenance.
While several companies are making progress toward developing synthetic analogs of red blood cells and platelets, white blood cells and plasma components receive comparatively little attention. Plasma products, in particular, are limited in scope and fail to address the need for long-term support required to maintain organ vitality.
We will leverage our perfusion system to identify plasma components essential for survival and develop a perfusate capable of sustaining long-term homeostasis. In addition, we are seeking researchers working on the development of extracorporeal immune system cultivation.
Strong solution available
Critical tech in progress
Tech in progress
Our focus
Concept | Rodents | Mammals | Humans | Clinicals | Market | |
Nutrients | Decades Organic Derived | |||||
Oxygen Carriers | Recultivated Hemoglobin for LEH / EM | Erythomer, Phase I | Grown RBCs, Phase I LEH, Phase I | Days PFCS | ||
Hemostasis | Phase I | |||||
Plasma components | Recombinant Synthetic Plasma | Volume expanders Separate proteins | ||||
Immunity | Lab grown universal immune cells | Volume expanders Separate proteins |
Neural interfaces
A "head in a jar" may preserve biological function but does not provide quality of life. For a fulfilling existence without a biological body, we must restore mobility, and integrate sensation and communication. While robotics technology has made significant strides in mobility and dexterity, and will likely acheive human parity in the near future, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)—critical for direct communication between the brain and external devices—remain a nascent field with vast untapped potential.
Vision in old age is severly compromised, and this will be inhereted by the perfused head. A key challenge is achieving a breakthrough in Visual Neural Interfaces. Current technology is limited to a resolution of approximately 90x90 pixels, far below the 7000x7000-pixel resolution of the human retina.
Survival of a brain detached from its spinal cord introduces a unique challenge. Severing the spinal cord causes nerve dieback that can progress to the brainstem, ultimately leading to death. Developing sensorimotor neural-computer interfaces to support and replace spinal cord functions is critical not only for sustaining the brain’s health and enabling integration with robotics, but also to overcome neural dieback.
Despite its importance, this field remains severely underexplored and demands urgent attention. It will thus be a primary target in our roadmap.
Strong solution available
Critical tech in progress
Tech in progress
Our focus
Mammals | Primates | Humans | Clinicals | Market | ||
Sensorimotor | Cervical Ecate | Upper BrainGate Lower NeuroRestore | ||||
Speech | 72 WPM UCSF | 72 WPM BrainGate | ||||
Visual | 8,192 pixels (90x90) FlexLED by Science | 378 electrodes Pixium by Science | 60 electrodes 🪦 Argus II, 120k$ | |||
Audio | Cochlear, Med L $25k - $50k | |||||
Mimic | Niemenlehto Konstantinidi |
Neuromorphic Impants
While a synthetic body can sustain and support a biological brain, the brain itself may still be subject to intrinsic aging processes—though this hypothesis has never been tested. For the long-term preservation of our personalities, memories, and cognitive capacities, we may ultimately need to replace aging neural tissue with neuromorphic implants capable of replicating the complex dynamics of biological neurons.
While very far from full realization, some progress was made in developing artificial neurons. Solid-state neuromorphic microcircuits, such as those from Abu-Hassan et al. (2019), emulate ion channel dynamics and nearly match the responses of real neurons. Organic electrochemical neurons (c-OECNs) go further by mimicking sodium and potassium channel behaviors at biologically relevant frequencies (Harikesh et al., 2023). Memristive devices and organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors (OMIECs) also advance synaptic plasticity emulation and real-time bio-integration. Despite these developments, implementation for brain prosthetics is still a distant prospect. We are seeking researchers who has focused on this challenge.
The properties required for a neural implant to support consciousness are not yet fully understood, with several competing hypotheses currently under consideration. To address this uncertainty, we aim to invest in experiments designed to evaluate and differentiate between these theories.
Robotics
Robotics is a foundational technology for Sciborg DAO, ensuring a fulfilling existence without a biological body through interaction with the physical world. Advanced robotic systems must achieve fine motor control, tactile feedback, environmental adaptability, and energy efficiency, all while ensuring long-term reliability and seamless integration.
Companies like Boston Dynamics and Tesla are at the forefront of robotics innovation. Boston Dynamics’ Atlas demonstrates cutting-edge bipedal locomotion and dynamic balance, using advanced actuators and control algorithms to perform tasks such as running, jumping, and navigating uneven terrain. Their Spot robot excels in quadrupedal mobility, employing real-time sensor integration for obstacle avoidance and autonomous path planning. Tesla’s Optimus focuses on scalable, modular humanoid robots. Key technologies include low-cost, high-performance actuators, advanced battery systems, and sensor arrays for real-time environmental perception and interaction. Tesla’s integration of machine learning models enhances the robot's ability to adapt to various tasks and environments over time.
Key technical challenges in robotics include:
Actuation: Developing actuators that balance power, precision, and efficiency for tasks requiring both strength (e.g., lifting) and dexterity (e.g., manipulating small objects).
Sensing: Incorporating tactile, visual, and proprioceptive sensors to provide real-time feedback for responsive and adaptable interactions with the environment.
Control Systems: Advancing algorithms for motor control, dynamic balance, and adaptive learning to ensure robots can perform complex tasks in unstructured environments.
Energy Efficiency: Creating compact and efficient power solutions, such as advanced batteries or energy recovery systems, to enable sustained operation without bulky external power sources.
Robotics will serve as the primary interface between preserved consciousness and the external world, enabling mobility, sensory interaction, and task execution. Sciborg DAO will rely on advancements from leading companies and others, integrating and adapting their state-of-the-art technologies to meet our needs. Given that robotic systems are more advanced than other components on the critical path to cyborgization, we expect them to mature independently and ahead of the more complex aspects of our mission, requiring minimal direct intervention. Collaborations will focus on tailoring these systems for longevity, reliability, and seamless human-machine integration.
