Automail

[Sketch]

So the reason of my return?
WELL, outta of boredom I was wondering wether or not Automail (as in Full Metal Alchemist) would ever be possible in the real world?
I know I know a childish thought but meh, as soon as I thought of this question I was like, where could I post this where people would be insane enough to discuss it's implications impossiblities, possibilites and ethical issues?
about 5 minutes later this site came to my head.

For those who aren't Anime freaks let me expain the Concept of Automail,

Simply it's a prosphetic limb.
more complexly it's a prosphetic limb capable of movement by recieving the signals from the brain and using those to move synthetic muscles and machinary the way an arm would normally move had you not lost the limb in the first place.

How it's described in the anime (dumbed down) is this:

A port socket is mounted by connecting a metal frame onto your skeleton, this is then made so nerves are conected to contact plates so when a Limb is attached it will recieve the signals from the brain.

this is done without pain reducers and whilst the patient is still awake (OUCH!)

So if this was to become possible what kind of things would you reckon would be neccessary? and what things would you think would stop this type of surgery from ever being possible? (be it technalogical or Ethical in nature)

[Lamiaceae]

You mean like this ?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8677132.stm
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I should update my sig. What to put here for $CurrentYear ?

[Sketch]

Almost exactly actually o.O didn't think we'd be able to do such a thing XD
quite amazing really