Identity and Governance of Bodily Extensions: The Case of Prosthetics and Avatars (360G-Wellcome-201515_Z_16_Z)

Prosthetics and avatars can both be defined as forms of bodily extension - one mechanical, the other digital. Both are used widely in everyday life, yet research into their impact upon users’ lived experiences has been approached with different emphases. Medical research into prosthetic limbs has tended to focus on functionality, while research into avatar usage has embraced embodiment, social identity and interaction, legal ownership and rights. This project brings together researchers from rehabilitation medicine, law, digital performance and media to apply multiple perspectives to prosthetic and avatar bodily extensions. How do different forms of bodily extension impact on experiences of embodiment and being in the world? How do body image and social identity relate to the design and function of bodily extensions? How far are bodily extensions defined and acknowledged in medical, information technology and human rights law? The project has three major goals: To establish a new interdisciplinary research network in bodily extension, specifically in relation to prosthetics and avatars. To produce three interdisciplinary peer-reviewed articles for readerships in digital media and culture, rehabilitation medicine and innovation law. To develop a funding application for a Wellcome Trust Collaborative Award to further this research.