Bionic man goes on display

Bionic man showcasing latest prosthetic technology goes on display at London's Science museum

Robiticists working on the bionic man Photo: ITV Daybreak

A bionic man, showcasing some of the latest advances in prosthetic technology, will go on display today at London's Science Museum.

An example of a bionic hand Credit: Channel 4

Assembled by a team of leading roboticists for a Channel 4 programme, How To Build A Bionic Man, the 'man' has artificial organs, synthetic blood and robot limbs.

Swiss social psychologist Bertolt Meyer, who was born without a left hand, fronts the documentary, speaking to the roboticists working on the project.

Having a bionic hand, Meyer's replacement costs £30,000 and is the most advanced on the market, but he feels it could soon be obsolete.

Examples of prosthetic legs show how the technology has advanced Credit: Channel 4

Following Bertolt Meyer, who has a bionic arm himself, as he investigates the reality of building a bionic human takes this brilliantly made documentary into new territory. If what scientists can do now is jaw-dropping, the future is mind-boggling.

– David Glover, senior commissioning editor for Channel 4 Factual
The prosthetic hand that Bertolt Meyer uses Credit: Channel 4

The artificial man cost £640,000, and incorporates some of the latest advances in prosthetic technology, including:

  • Artificial pancreas
  • Kidney
  • Spleen
  • Trachea
  • Functional blood circulatory system

The Channel 4 documentary will be aired at 9pm on Thursday night.

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