Stephen Hawking to go Weightless

[Jason]

Stephen Hawking's Weightless Flight

[PeZook]

Stephen Hawking's Weightless Flight

Every time I see him I can't help but think "Science rocks"

Think about it: 50 years ago he'd be dead by thirty. But today, he's managed to live a full life, complete with higher education and achievements that will be remembered for centuries, all thanks to technology and scientific progress.

[Singular Intellect]

Stephen Hawking's Weightless Flight

Every time I see him I can't help but think "Science rocks"

Think about it: 50 years ago he'd be dead by thirty. But today, he's managed to live a full life, complete with higher education and achievements that will be remembered for centuries, all thanks to technology and scientific progress.

I'll be more far more impressed when science can cure or prevent his condition in the first place. Don't get me wrong, your points are valid, but everyone knows life has far greater potential than he was able to experience.

You have to admire his strength of character, I know damn well I couldn't tolerate living in his condition.

[PeZook]

I'll be more far more impressed when science can cure or prevent his condition in the first place. Don't get me wrong, your points are valid, but everyone knows life has far greater potential than he was able to experience.

You have to admire his strength of character, I know damn well I couldn't tolerate living in his condition.

Of course, curing this condition is still to be achieved. But living in a wheelchair beats being dead or a vegetable.

[Singular Intellect]

Of course, curing this condition is still to be achieved. But living in a wheelchair beats being dead or a vegetable.

I'd actually consider living in a wheel chair worse than simply being dead, personally.

[PeZook]

Of course, curing this condition is still to be achieved. But living in a wheelchair beats being dead or a vegetable.

I'd actually consider living in a wheel chair worse than simply being dead, personally.

I wouldn't. It depends on the degree of disability, sure, but living in a wheelchair is still living, which means that I am, you know, not dead. It's harder, of course, but I consider the continued capability to experience the world worth the problems a disabled person must face.

[Aaron]

I'd actually consider living in a wheel chair worse than simply being dead, personally.

I was in a wheelchair for a month, it's not as bad as you make it out to be. Of course I knew I was getting out but you can still function.

[General Zod]

I'd actually consider living in a wheel chair worse than simply being dead, personally.

I was in a wheelchair for a month, it's not as bad as you make it out to be. Of course I knew I was getting out but you can still function.

That depends on what you're in the wheelchair for though. I'm fairly sure I could handle being in one for a year or two if I was forced for medical reasons, although if I were stuck with no hope of my muscles ever functioning properly again, I'm not so sure death wouldn't be more appealing.

[TithonusSyndrome]

Every time I see him I can't help but think "Science rocks"

Your comment conjured up a mental image of Mr. Hawking floating in 0G while wailing out some rockin' solos on a brightly coloured Ibanez.

As for living with a disability versus death, that's like asking if you'd rather eat rotten apples or nothing at all. I'll carve away the rot and take what I can get, thanks.

[Aaron]

That depends on what you're in the wheelchair for though. I'm fairly sure I could handle being in one for a year or two if I was forced for medical reasons, although if I were stuck with no hope of my muscles ever functioning properly again, I'm not so sure death wouldn't be more appealing.

I was in it because my feet were burned so I couldn't walk and my right arm was all burned so I couldn't use that either. So I couldn't wheel myself around or do much other than watch TV or eat and drink out of the chair. It wasn't too bad. It would suck being like that for life but I could tolerate it.

[wolveraptor]

At least Hawking has his brilliant mind to keep him occupied. If he were formerly an athelete whose condition had deterioriated, he might've chosen euthanasia.

[2000AD]

Unable to use his hands, legs or voice, Hawking can only use his facial expressions using the muscles around his eyes, eye brows and mouth to communicate. Otherwise, he relies on a computer to talk for him in a synthesized voice. The computer is attached to his wheelchair and allows him to choose words on a computer screen via a sensor that detects motion in his cheek.

Holy crap, I never realised how hard it was to work, I always thought he had some partial use of his hand or something, but cheek movements? Damn that must take a lot of time and patience to pull that off.

[Hillary]

This from the BBC

[Broomstick]

Unable to use his hands, legs or voice, Hawking can only use his facial expressions using the muscles around his eyes, eye brows and mouth to communicate. Otherwise, he relies on a computer to talk for him in a synthesized voice. The computer is attached to his wheelchair and allows him to choose words on a computer screen via a sensor that detects motion in his cheek.

Holy crap, I never realised how hard it was to work, I always thought he had some partial use of his hand or something, but cheek movements? Damn that must take a lot of time and patience to pull that off.

They also have systems that can pick up eye movements and the muscles that focus the eyes for people even more debilitated than Hawking (yes, there are people even more handicapped than he is in this world). There has also been work with systems that tap directly into the brain, allowing the user to move a cursor or operate systems by thought alone (after some training time and considerable practice). He may need to move to such a system eventually, as his condition continues to deteriorate.

He is fortunate in that his mental skills allow him to work and have a purpose to his life, instead of rotting in an institution as all too frequently happens with the severely disabled. I think it's wonderful he had this opportunity. Branson has also offered to fly him for free on Virgin Galactic when it goes into operation.

So I think it's time for NASA to loosen up and admit that ordinary mortals can go into space, too. But maybe I shouldn't get on that soapbox.

[Shroom Man 777]

Aw...just look at him! I impersonated Stephen Hawking in a science fair once, got first prize too! I also had a wheel chair and had someone wheel me along.

[Wyrm]

Holy crap, I never realised how hard it was to work, I always thought he had some partial use of his hand or something, but cheek movements? Damn that must take a lot of time and patience to pull that off.

Hawking used to be able to control his speech computer by a hand-clicker. Then again, he used to be able to mumble about twenty years ago. And he'll get worse.

[Seggybop]

My mother has the same condition. You wouldn't believe the series of switch configurations we've had to come up with to facilitate communication as her ability to move degrades. She can at this point only slowly move her jaw and eyes, the jaw being sufficient to trigger an infrared proximity sensor. A program scans through letters and commands on the screen, and she hits the switch when the desired one is highlighted.

[dragon]

The video of his trip. Warning NSFW website

uniquepeek

[Molyneux]

I hope he had a hell of a time; if anyone deserves a chance to be weightless, it's him.

[Sea Skimmer]

I was in it because my feet were burned so I couldn't walk and my right arm was all burned so I couldn't use that either. So I couldn't wheel myself around or do much other than watch TV or eat and drink out of the chair. It wasn't too bad. It would suck being like that for life but I could tolerate it.

At least you had one good hand to use the remote control. Hawking has to use a motion sensing device aimed at his eye, squinting is about all he can do physically, to accomplish anything at all. Even today that technology is just too expensive and difficult to master to be available to everyone with his condition.

Being in a wheelchair is just too vague. I think I’d want to die if I couldn’t move a damn thing. Simply being a paraplegic or having leg injuries which make walking exceedingly difficult or impossible would be a whole different story.