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Neural "Extension Cord" Developed
moon_monkey writes "Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a 'neural extension cord' by growing neurons attached to a microchip. The cord is made by gradually moving two batches of neurons apart, as they naturally grow towards one another. This biological 'data cable' could then interface with the brain once implanted, the researchers say." From the article: "...in the long run, it may not be necessary to interface directly with nerves at all. 'In Europe most researchers in this field are using non-invasive EEG,' [an outside researcher] explains... 'The signals are weaker so more complex processing is needed, but not having to perform surgery on the nervous system has many advantages,' [he] says."
Is it compatible with Windows Vista's DRM requirements?
not having to perform surgery on the nervous system has many advantages
I nominate this guy for the Understatement of the Year award.
Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion.
Extension cords are well and good, but what we really need is a neural power strip. You can never have too many of those.
'Loose' is when your pants are three sizes too big. 'Lose' is when you misuse 'loose'.
The cord is made by gradually moving two batches of neurons apart, as they naturally grow towards one another. This biological 'data cable' could then interface with the brain once implanted, the researchers say.
That way, in the future, people can have an almost lifelike experience watching Ow! My Balls!
Push Button, Receive Bacon
"Real" virtual p0rn!
Come to Papa, Jenna.
I know several people with severe spinal injuries that could potentially benefit from something like this. Heck using this to restore the use of amputated and reattached limbs/appendages springs to mind as well.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Instant learning for classes. No I can finally finish college.
I knew procrastinating worked...
Shakespeare poems - infinite monkeys with infinite time.Computer tech support - a few trained ones working from 9 to 5.
I never realized how many idiot comments people made on /. until today.
The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power. -- Daniel Webster
Sure - being able to read the impulses sent to muscles, immune systems, etc. will be great. Being able to interact with a truly naturally developed informational system can lead to a lot of obvious and non-obvious insights.
What would be fascinating is if we were to discover interfaces that allow contents of memory or other brain contents to be read in this way. Of course, this is the start of a lot of sci-fi stories, few of which have a good ending - but if we were able to use such 'clean' techniques to read and store at least some of the contents of minds, I still think it would be a very good net change. Even if very few things are able to be read, and even then very slowly, it would open up many important insights - how massively multi-nerve systems communicate, how memories change in terms of pure data.
On a personal level, it would be a really nice change to be able to leave behind a little undiluted, untranslated part of my memories and self in the world beyond genetics and teaching others, rather than just let it all rot or hope for a supernatural rescue. It's not the loss of the self that annoys me about our current idea of death, it's the total loss of information that we currently accept as part of the process. Even if it was just a database for others to query, I'd love for my raw memories to live beyond myself.
Ryan Fenton
You must be new here.
If the masses can keep you down, you're not the Ubermensch.
I saw a subtitle for the matrix once for when Neo wakes up: "I'm lying naked in a vat of nutrients, with my bodily functions handled by tubes, connected to the internet by a fiber-optic cable wired directly into my brain...THIS IS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE!!!"
You are awash in a sea of fiercely stated opinions. Obvious exits are: 'File->Quit', 'Reply', and 'Page Down'.
It's all well and good to "biopatch" if you will, but machine-biological interfaces are really the holy grail. Machine engineering is far easier than biological engineering, more replaceable, more durable, and eventually more versatile. If your arm is amputated, we can either restore some basic functionality with a neural extension cord, or we can put a big fat processor connected to precise abiological sensors on it to provide all the proprioceptive and tactile data the original arm would have supplied. The only problem is presentation of that data to our biological brains. For that we'd still need some sort of electrode grid or something. Not an easy problem, but at least if it's solved once it's more or less solved for all time. Trying to regrow biological parts involves a gajillion types of tissue and membranes and so on in bewildering variety. Nature did not design us for easy reverse engineering.
In any case, biopatching is great and tractible for reconnecting pieces that already fundamentally work, but for wholesale replacement at a high grade of function we still need that bridge.
I am the one true god. However, as an atheist, I don't believe in myself. I guess I have a self-esteem problem.
So does this mean I can finally just send my brain to work while I stay home without dieing? hmmm.... I'll need to grow hands from my brain too, so it can shut off the alarm clock on its way out.
I know flung poo.
I want a neural power squid.
Would it be possible to use this or a similar technique to join breaks in the spinal cord? Maybe even for limited functionality if the 'bandwidth' of one of these cords isn't enough?
It's easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.
This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
One of the things I like about the TV series is the depth and the questions they pose about the issues with this technology.
Better question is if it can be stopped. The thing is that when you watch that series, you wonder about the safety rating of this technology. The first Window 95 computers were open to the world, internet wise, so will it be the same for the first 'cyber brain' installs? Will there be a point where you MUST have a retina mechanical replacement or atleast an optic nerve pass though just to read a book? Better yet, what about education? If all your books are DRM encrypted that is mandated to be bought from a school virtual book shop, used books, hell, books could just disappear. We talk about a lack of critical thinking NOW....
Heck, it even creates the ultimate lower class. Those who not only can't afford to eat, but due to the lack of implants, even achieve a decent job. I mean, it becomes a decision to have your entire body mechanically replaced for a 5 year mining contract or living at the lowest end of the spectrum.
Maybe I am over thinking this, but its psodo-mandatory that you have a state ID, why would some kind of implant.
Can anyone explain non-invasive EEG versus (I guess) invasive EEG?
They don't mean "non-invasive EEG", they mean "non-invasive", which means no surgery is requried. This happens to be an EEG helmet. The alternative, "invasive", involves of course the surgical implantation of some interfacing device.
Briefly, non-invasive currently sucks. It's nice in that it can work by just wearing a helmet, but you can only (currently) reliably get one bit of information out of it (I vaguely remember hearing about someone getting two, not sure). non-invasive systems are also bulky and require a lot of preparation to use. Also, they require training to use the system and some people are incapable of using it.
Invasive kind of sucks because you have to have your head opened up, but the results are quite impressive. They have trained a rat to mentally control a water dispensing robot, and they have gotten a monkey to control a robotic arm, for example. Read "the Body Electric" by James Geary. Obviously it's harder to get testing on humans for invasive technologies off the ground.
If you couldn't handle their classes, what makes you think you could overpower them mentally? You might just be setting yourself up for... whatever-the-fook-we're-talking-about.