‘Bionic man’ walks, breathes with artificial parts

Associated Press

NEW YORK

The term “bionic man” was the stuff of science fiction in the 1970s, when a popular TV show called “The Six Million Dollar Man” chronicled the adventures of Steve Austin, a former astronaut whose body was rebuilt using artificial parts after he nearly died.

Now, a team of scientists and engineers has assembled a robot using artificial organs, limbs and other body parts that comes tantalizingly close to a true “bionic man.” For real, this time.

The artificial “man” is the subject of a Smithsonian Channel documentary airing Oct. 20 at 9 p.m. “The Incredible Bionic Man” chronicles engineers’ attempt to assemble a functioning body using artificial parts that range from a working kidney to retina implants.