Research Proposal

Michael Gregory
Independent Research
2015-2016
The Next Step in Human Evolution, the Merger between Humanity and Technology
Overview of Research:
The overall field of research for this study is new technologies that will arise in the next few
decades. More specifically, the effect these technologies will have on humanity when the two are
integrated. The research will be conducted by analyzing past studies done on similar topics in
order to find trends. The hope of the project is to prove that integrating technology with
humanity will have an overall positive impact on our daily lives.
Background and Rationale:
The goal of creating new technologies has always been to improve life. Whether it was the
creation of steel or the invention of the computer, humanity has always been trying to make life
better for itself. The integration of technology with human biological is simply the next stage in
this long process.
According to Futurist Ray Kurzweil in his book, The Singularity is Near, humanity is quickly
approaching a Singularity, or the point where The pace of technological change will be so rapid,
its impact so deep, that human life will be irreversibly transformed,. He estimates that this point
will occur sometime in the next one or two decades. The integration of technology with
technology marks the beginning of this Singularity. The effects of the Singularity can be both
positive and negative, and predicting them before hand will help us prepare for them and tilt the
balance towards positive.
Research Methodology:
Research Question:
How will the integration of humans with technology affect our societies and our bodies?
Research Hypothesis:
The integration of humans with technology will make our species more adaptable and connected,
increase our lifespans, and increase our brain power.
Research Design Model:
Mixed-method research will be conducted with a descriptive research design model. The most
effective way to research the research topic is to compare to the results of studies already done.
Finding trends in studies on the societal effects of past technologies will be the focal point of this
projects research. These trends will be used to predict the effects that human-technology merger
will have. The independent variable will be the whether the integration of humans and
technology will be positive or negative.
Data Collection:

For data collection, at least 4 studies on the effects of technology from peer- reviewed journals,
preferably not with the same viewpoint, will be analyzed and evaluated in order to find crossstudy trends.This method will be the most efficient to perform and provide the most indisputable
results, also, using sources with different viewpoints will eliminate most biases.
Product Objectives:
The final product of this year long study will be a video describing the effects that the integration
of technology into humanity. This video will be accessible by anyone and will be targeted
towards the general population to help them understand the changes that will be coming in the
near future. A video method will explain the information in a way that will keep the viewers
attention and make it easy to understand.
Logistical Considerations:
The only resources needed for the final project are a camera and a computer with video editing
software and internet access. For data collection access to scholarly journals and professional
contacts will be required. There will be virtually no cost involved and only minimal
transportation will be needed.
Timeline:
In third quarter, a timeline will be added that outlines the data collection, product development,
and audience distribution