Augmenting the Animal Kingdom
From: Wired News - 05/03/2005
By: Lakshmi Sandhana

Some theorists champion the idea of enhancing animals with technology to
increase their chances of surviving, leading happy lives, or even boosting
their intelligence. But there are also scientists who oppose such ideas on
ethical grounds. One supporter of technological animal enhancement is James
Auger, author of "Augmented Animals," who believes that augmentation could
benefit domesticated animals. Captive birds, for example, could lead fuller
lives in cages built with aerodynamic testing technology that give the
illusion of long-distance flight, while dogs and other animals with a keen
sense of smell could filter out undesirable scents with odor respirators.
David Pearce, associate editor of the Journal of Evolution and Technology,
reasons that smart microchips implanted within the pleasure centers of
livestock and other factory-farmed animals could keep those animals in a
state of bliss, completely oblivious to their miserable surroundings. Some
scientists contend that giving animals such as apes, dolphins, and elephants
the means to enhance their intelligence and communicative abilities is a
moral obligation. "Once they are sufficiently enhanced, they can make
decisions for themselves, including removing their augmentation," argues
Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies executive director Dr. James
Hughes.  

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,67349,00.html