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ArchEtech
MemberOvomorph01/2/2012 I know the term "bio-mechanical" has been thrown around a lot. But other than it being the artistic theme of Geigers Art, what evidence is there that the Xeno is some kind of Borg/cyborg bio-techno hybrid? What does that even mean? Combo of metal/organic living tissue? Something beyond carbon based? I bring this up because from what I've seen, the Xeno breath, bleed, reproduce, and die. They have flesh, saliva, blood, skin, whatever form it actually is. What we don't know are what those tissue/things are made of in the creature itself. Unknown element? Something beyond DNA? DNA + something else? For all we know, the Xeno creature is some kind of microscopic composition of nano-robots simulating what we are used to thinking of as LIFE. But really the human body isn't different than a "high" developed robot in a grand sense meaning if you could simulate every organ, neuron, cell or dare I say DNA, chromosomes etc with metal, self repairing microprocessors, and synthetic blood, would that "thing" be alive? Artificial Intelligence if we create it, is it alive? If the computer learns, and the "brain" feels does it not have a soul if it's made of silicone? Now take that to another level with a combination of both carbon and silicone, artificial and living, synthetic and organic fused together. Is that Bio-mechanical? We don't know what this Xeno or Xeno technology is, or even if the alien goop was created. Maybe they found it, and tried to comtrol it. Maybe the engineers, we're trying to play god and really messed up! I hope we find out, and explore these sorts of "alien" concepts. Pun intended.
There is a good chance the humans won't be Prometheus. There is just as good of a chance that the Engineers, and SJ' attempted to discover the meaning of life, and started messing with things they shouldn't have, and destroyed their own civilization. They are now having their livers chewed up for eternity! And.... Humans are about to make the same mistake....... genetic engineering, cloning anyone?
12 Replies

Gavin
MemberTrilobite01/3/2012Wouldn't the Terminator, Robocop, Wolverine, Death's Head, Dr. Doom, Halo's Master Chief, Hector (Saturn V - Classic film) etc. etc. be classed as bio-mechanical.

Jeystone
MemberOvomorph01/3/2012no..bio-mechanical in the Giger sense is different..Machines are generally slaves..they perform a useful function and can work endlessly, given there is a power supply. Bio-mechanical to me means a biological organism enslaved like a machine. The space jockey was fused to the chair..now they are trying to pretend it was a suit, but I believe the original intention was this thing was a living organism, enslaved/fused to the seat and lived to carry out its intended function..It is half alive/half machine..it's pretty twisted and sick, almost like trapped in body syndrome
The aliens however could move around freely, but they definitely had machine parts and the only purpose for their existence was to kill

Jeystone
MemberOvomorph01/3/2012no..bio-mechanical in the Giger sense is different..Machines are generally slaves..they perform a useful function and can work endlessly, given there is a power supply. Bio-mechanical to me means a biological organism enslaved like a machine. The space jockey was fused to the chair..now they are trying to pretend it was a suit, but I believe the original intention was this thing was a living organism, enslaved/fused to the seat and lived to carry out its intended function..It is half alive/half machine..it's pretty twisted and sick, almost like trapped in body syndrome
The aliens however could move around freely, but they definitely had machine parts and the only purpose for their existence was to kill

draekus
MemberOvomorph01/3/2012Great points all around!
-quote from ArchEtech: ".[i]..if you could simulate every organ, neuron, cell or dare I say DNA, chromosomes etc with metal, self repairing microprocessors, and synthetic blood, would that "thing" be alive? Artificial Intelligence if we create it, is it alive? If the computer learns, and the "brain" feels does it not have a soul if it's made of silicone? Now take that to another level with a combination of both carbon and silicone, artificial and living, synthetic and organic fused together. Is that Bio-mechanical?"[/i]
Yes, I would agree with your proposed definition of biomechanical. And yes, I would consider that "[i]thing[/i]" as living/alive. ...Blade Runner anyone? :-)
-quote from Snorkelbottom: "[i]Wouldn't the Terminator, Robocop, Wolverine, Death's Head, Dr. Doom, Halo's Master Chief, Hector (Saturn V - Classic film) etc. etc. be classed as bio-mechanical.[/i]"
IMO, Terminator, Robocop, and MC can be considered biomecanical (i.e. cyborgs). But I say "NO" for Wolverine and Dr. Doom. I believe Biomechanical should refer to biological and mechanical parts working together in a symbiotic relationship for continued life/function. Wolvie can live/function without the adamantium and (I believe) Doom can live without the suit of armor. However, the latest incarnation of Iron Man (in current comics, not the movies) can also be defined as "biomechanical" since he carries his suit inside his body in what can be described as a "liquid" form. He also seamlessly interfaces with his suit using only his mind. (Pretty cool stuff.)
Again this is all just my opinion and is not based on any kind of fact or definition. I don't think the term "biomecanical" specifically references a "slave-like" relationship. However, I can see why one would say that Giger's biomechanoids are salves.

Gavin
MemberTrilobite01/3/2012This is hector (saturn 3, my mistake)...
[img]http://www.moviecatcher.net/images/osaturn3jpg1.jpg[/img]
and this is deaths head (II technically)
[img]http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/148693-117460-death-s-head-ii_super.jpg[/img]

draekus
MemberOvomorph01/3/2012I had never heard of Hector or Saturn 3, So I'm not sure what that robot/cyborg on the poster is. I'll have to watch the movie. I've seen Death's Head many times but I never actually read a comic that featured an appearance by him. So I don't know anything about him other than the way he looks.

Gavin
MemberTrilobite01/3/2012Hector is a robotic exoskeleton controlled by a canister-sized living brain originally taken from multiple human fetus.
Deaths head is a cyborg containing the collective personalities of many, many individuals. He is a Marvel character that first appeared in the 80's Transformers comics.

Spartacus
MemberOvomorph01/3/2012I would appreciate it if you fixed the spelling please of "Giger", I have such respect for that man that I cannot stand seeing his name spelled funny.
That said, Maybe this will help in your quest for answers...
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/LT.HIGHTIMES/1a1gigerbio.jpg[/img]
Definition of "Bio-Mechanical"
1. (used with a sing. verb) The study of the mechanics of a living body, especially of the forces exerted by muscles and gravity on the skeletal structure.
2. (used with a pl. verb) The mechanics of a part or function of a living body, such as of the heart or of locomotion.

goodkat
MemberOvomorph01/3/2012If you could simulate DNA exactly, then it would be DNA!
As for the space jockey in the chair being forever bound to that chair to serve a function is out of the question in my mind. With the bio technology the space jockeys appear to have why have a body in the shape of a humanoid at all sitting there, why not have just the chair doing the tasks.
On an unrelated note... My god that deaths head character has muscles packed EVERYWHERE in his thighs, how the hell does that even work!

artyoh
MemberOvomorph01/3/2012My guess, is that the SJs can merge/unmerge with the chair ( and perhaps other things ) at will.....but I'd say that Giger's version of "biotechnology" is distinguished more by it's disturbing eroticism, than anything else. Stylistically, he's particularly fond of using repeating patterns of parallel lines, tendons in the form of corrugated cabling, etc., but his figures are usually very organic in overall form and pose. It's easy to recognize and identify his work, because of that.
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