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Matrix-Style Brain Interface Closer To Reality

Posted by timothy on from the be-your-own-neo dept.

atkulp writes "According to this Wired article, a private company, Cyberkinetics is seeking permission from the FDA to test a product called BrainGate that implants in the brain and can control actions on a computer. So far it works for monkeys and they'd like to see it as viable for quadriplegics and others in need. How soon until anyone can become the ultimate expansion card? Sign me up!"

4 of 567 comments (clear)

  1. I'll pass by Z4rd0Z · · Score: 4, Insightful

    People who are eager for this sort of thing puzzle me. Maybe I'm a little paranoid, but I'd like to stay as far away from this as possible. I don't say this to be a luddite, but there are definite limits to where I would personally go with technology.

    --
    You had me at "dicks fuck assholes".
    1. Re:I'll pass by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 4, Insightful

      ...this isn't an elective surgery targeted towards geeks who want to get one step closer to their machines.
      It'll probably be a long time (if ever) before this moves into being an elective procedure for entertainment purposes;

      Just like plastic surgery was only used for birth defects and accident reconstruction
      Just like stomach stapling was only to be used on the morbidly obese
      Just like Viagara was only to be used for serious erectile problems

      Given a procedure, there will be some who want it (and very early on) simply because it's 'cool'. And there will be doctors who will supply it for the right sum.

  2. I'd love one. by nate1138 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My biggest complaint about computing is that my brain->computer interface (hands to keyboard that is) is VERY low bandwidth and VERY high latency. And I know I can't be the only one that has this problem. Anybody that codes knows what I mean, you can visualize and solve the problem in your head much faster than you can get that solution into the computer.

    --
    Where's my lobbyist? Right here.
  3. Re:qu4k3??? w4r cr4f7???/ by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I would imagine that there would probably be separate arenas/competitions for physical-interface games and (not sure what the word is) neural-interface games. Just because, like the top-level poster said, it would generate an unfair advantage.

    Frankly, I'd prefer to see neural-interface match-ups because then the games become less of a matter of how well you can properly wield a mouse, but it relies more on strategy. Presumably, all the characters would have the same "physical" (in the game) abilities, so it would be up to the players' strategies and luck to determine who would win.

    --
    True story.