ABSTRACT
Martin Caidin’s novel Cyborg became a bestseller when it was first published in 1972. In 1974, it was turned into the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man, followed by The Bionic Woman in 1976.
When astronaut Steve Austin is severely injured in the crash of
an experimental aircraft, he is “rebuilt” in an operation that costs
$6 M. His right arm, both legs, and left eye are replaced with bionic
implants, which enhance his strength, speed, and vision far above
human norms: he can run at speeds of 60mph, and his eye has a 20:1
zoom lens and infrared capabilities, while his bionic limbs all have
the power of a bulldozer. The show’s opening catch-phrase “We can
rebuild him . . . we have the technology” could serve as a description
of the future of nanomedicine.
