> I would like to see some sort of organism-wide testing device that could
> monitor people closely so that they could tailor their life extension programs
> to ongoing changes in their bodies. Of course, there is much research to
> be done, but such a device could provide lots of data -- if enough users
> are willing to share it.
Sounds like a great idea. In the books on calory restriction there are
some suggestions tests for biomarkers of aging, but a good testing
device would likely need to both measure the chemical composition of
the blood and macroscopic properties like lung capacity and overall
stamina - it would quickly turn into a rather big and baroque device
with lots of hoses, needles, scanners and levers :-)
The dream would be something like a flatbed scanner which
noninvasively scanned you and calculated all the necessary stuff from
the data. Unfortunately that seems to be rather hard to do at present,
even given the advances in NMR.
> As a practical aside, which specific dimensions would be most useful to
> measure?
I think a blood-test device would be useful, if limited. Maybe also
some kind of tissue-mechanics test (collagene flexibility, skin
properties).
My own interest is of course cognition. I have for a long time planned
to write a cognitive test suite in java, so that one can objectively
test one's progress, effects of lifestyle, age, nootropics etc without
the hassle. Another fun idea I have been thinking of is some kind of
reverse neuropsychology test: you undertake a detailled mental test,
from which your neurotransmittor levels could be roughly estimated
(useful to tune nootropics). But right now these are pipe dreams.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y