Hello Steve, 

More links for ya!

Enabling the blind to see and the deaf to hear
http://www.eet.com/story/OEG20030923S0053


The Age of Spiritual Machines
When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence
by Ray Kurzweil

"A world where the difference between man and machine blurs, 
where the line between humanity and technology fades, and 
where the soul and the silicon chip unite."  

Are We Spiritual Machines?
http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/memelist.html?m=19

Chapter 2: "I Married a Computer" - by John Searle
http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0499.html?m=19

Chapter 6: "Building New Brains" - by Raymond Kurzweil
The Hardware of Intelligence 
"Let's review what we need to build an intelligent machine...."
http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0276.html?m=14

Chapter 10: The Material World: Is That All There Is?
http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0491.html?m=19


George Gilder on Kurzweil and "the metamorphic moment"

   "Ray Kurzweil, peerless inventor of such brain extenders as reading
   machines, speech recognition, and music synthesis, has now reinvented
   the book as a luminous synthesis of mind and machine. In a series of
   witty, ingenious, and profound meditations, he explores the
   metamorphic moment when machines will attain and then surpass the
   capabilities of the human brain. This is a book that makes all other
   roads to the computer future look like goat paths in Patagonia."

          -- George Gilder, Author of Wealth and Poverty, 
           The Spirit of Enterprise, Microcosm, and Telecosm



Then there's Vernor Vinge and "the Singularity"

The Coming Technological Singularity:
 How to Survive in the Post-Human Era

"Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create
superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended.'

                                -- Vernor Vinge,  1993

http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/vinge/misc/singularity.html
http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0092.html

Vernor Vinge --  Singularity Update - 2003
www.wholeearthmag.com/ArticleBin/111-3.pdf

Singularity?
http://www.singinst.org/what-singularity.html

Why Work Toward Singularity
http://www.singinst.org/why-singularity.html


Kurzweil on Singularity 

 "... the Singularity.' It's a merger between human intelligence 
and machine intelligence that is going to create something 
bigger than itself. ..."          -- Ray Kurzweil

http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0451.html


- - - - 

A little fun and games!
http://www.ibva.com

- - - - 

Where's it all headed?

Here's a projection re: the year 2025....

   "With the implant technology that will be available by about 2025, 
   doctors will be able to put something like a chip in your brain 
   to prevent a stroke, stop a blood clot, detect an aneurysm, help 
   your memory or treat a mental condition. You may be able to 
   stream (digital) information through your eyes to the brain."

                             --   Dr. Arthur Caplan, 1998

Advanced Neural Implants and Control
http://www.darpa.mil/dso/thrust/biosci/bim/briefings/ASU_Kipke.PDF


Here's some "2025" - "science fiction"....    written in 1996:
http://www.au.af.mil/au/2025/volume1/chap06/vol1ch06.pdf


   

--- Maximus/2 3.01