(NAPSI)—Imagine this: your body enhanced with technology through implants—even an entirely artificial body implanted with your brain. You could be hardwired into the Internet, able to access information instantly. We already have implants to improve hearing or keep a heart pumping, but what if you could enhance all of your physiological processes and senses? Would the risk of having your mind hacked be worth the benefits?

These are the kinds of fascinating questions posed by the visually stunning and action-packed film “Ghost in the Shell.” And although the film is science fiction, the realities of what it depicts may be closer than you think.

Your Brain on the Internet

Researchers at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) served as advisers on “Ghost in the Shell” to help ensure that the futuristic technology had a real-world basis. The film follows Major (played by Scarlett Johansson), a woman who was rescued from death by having her brain implanted into an artificial body. The HPE experts provided insight into how a hardwired brain like Major’s could be protected from hacking. They further validated the idea of merging technology with the body and storing information using biological elements.

The Future Is Now

Other scientists have already come up with what’s known as a brain-computer interface (BCI), a way to wire a brain to an external device to give you direct control of a machine, such as a prosthetic arm, using only your thoughts. The idea is to help those afflicted by paralysis, neurological disorders and degenerative brain conditions, but it could also mean better sensory capabilities, enhanced motor coordination, and the ability to tap into external information or communicate directly with other people who are similarly connected.

In the movie, many of the characters have machine “enhancements,” giving them superhuman capabilities. For instance, some have diagnostic tools that scan the body and brain for problems and anomalies, artificial eyes that allow for multiple filters of vision, and links that let them communicate telepathically.

We may be a ways off from this complete integration of biology and technology, but one thing is clear: The future as depicted in “Ghost in the Shell” may be more fact than fiction.

See It Now

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait to see the future. “Ghost in the Shell” is available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD now.

Learn More

To watch the trailer or order a copy, go to www.GhostInTheShellMovie.com.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)