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Data Stored in Live Neurons
Light Licker writes "Israeli researchers have created artificial memories for the first time — in a tangle of neurons growing in the lab. Using a specific chemical they could add to the pattern of impulses in a network of the nerve cells. 'Many believe that complex patterns of neuronal firing are templates for memory, which the brain uses when storing information. Imprinting such "memories" on artificial neural networks provides a potential way to develop cyborg chips, says Ben-Jacob. These would be useful for monitoring biological systems like the brain and blood since, being human, they would respond to the same chemicals.' The new pattern lasted two days — good enough for biological RAM?"
I for one welcome our neuronal impulse driven overlords.
I don't smoke weed, I don't know how that got in my car. How many of us have been in such a situation? Now with little biotech magic, you can calmly and confidently (not to mention truthfully) say that the munchkins did it.
Then there's just the minor problem of figuring out what pattern means what. Personally I think I prefer the idea of connecting people to external computerized memory then messing with the neural one. Brainwashing anyone?
Yeah, I'd say so...I can't remember anything for more than a few minutes, let alone two whole days!
What day did you say it is again?
Use 'slashdot stuff' in the subject line in any email you send me if you want to get past the spam filter.
Can it run linux?
We call them brains and I'm sure Mother Nature took out a patent on them.
x-rays and night vision for my eye?
ICQ
PHP
RSA (in use, right?)
USB flash storage devices (see M-Systems)
Water sprinklers
Cherry tomatoes
Epilady hair remover
Many, many new medicines (see Teva)
Various kinds of defense weapons
Should I go on?
Picrotoxin, a poisonous crystalline plant alkaloid that kills living things with brains was used to make neurons fire in a specific pattern. BTW, Is it true that developments in neuroscience are mostly hype and at snails pace?
Heroes die once, cowards live longer.
Shit, now the MAFIAA can sue me for remembering something, since it can be recovered two days later.
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
...once.
The mold in the refrigerator hasn't shut up since. Stupid mold.
Does that mean i can use my girlfriend as an external storage?
And quite pertinent, too.
On a very much related tangent, I hope this sort of research will lead to better interfaces between electronic "input devices" like digital cameras and microphones, and the brain itself. That would greatly improve the condition of blind and deaf people.
"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
Just load programs ala matrix style?
If thats so, give me black belt knowledge in lots of martials arts, skill in every weapon, and some of that ninja magic shit, cause them pirates have got a thing to answer for!
Maybe Arnold Schwarzenegger really has been to Mars?
I could use it as a big jump drive.
boycott slashdot February 10th - 17th check out: altSlashdot.org
LMAO
suffer a core dump....
:)
or worse
have a seg fault
and if you overcome those difficulties and it actually works for you, i'd like some advise as i'd might consider thinking of setting up a RAID array, but i have concerns regarding the upkeep requirements with regards to the communication network that was available, your advice?
Why is this under hardware? We may not have a wetware section, but surely this is a science article.
Now, this story relates a neat hack. They were able to account for the background of spontaneous firing and find their signal amid the noise. Very clever. Can't say as I see it being good for much other than having shown it can be done and supporting the Hebbian neural network theory. But then, science is about finding stuff out. This they did. Even if nothing practical comes of it, it's a win for the science team.
"I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B
Don't tell me in addition to electricity, my computer is now going to need fool/water supply and I am also going to have to take care of a liquid/solid waste.
You used a word with negative connotations, but that's how many electronic memory devices work. They start with a full set of connections and are programmed by deleting all the unwanted connections.
In old-style PROMs (programmable read-only memories) the connections were metallic fuses that were burned by a pulse of current. Then came EPROMs (eraseable programmable read-only memories) where the connections could be restored by bathing the chip in ultraviolet radiation for 20 minutes. Today we have many kinds of EEPROMs (electrically eraseable programmable read-only memories) where the connections can be restored by sending commands to the chip.
Anyhow, the programming for each of those chips has always been done by breaking links, that is by "injuring" the chip.
You have a girlfriend?
Towards neuro-memory-chip: Imprinting multiple memories in cultured neural networks; Itay Baruchi and Eshel Ben-Jacob. 2007. What interesting device combinations can we imagine with the awesome 2003 P. P. Irazoqui neurotransceiver?
The article speculates a lot about potential applications in human tissue. But what species' neurons are in the experimental network? And why don't these very superficial science articles reporting on a real journal entry actually link to the article they're discussing?
--
make install -not war
I wonder what the artificial memory seemed like to the critter in the jar. Probably something like "whoa, I'm tripping!"
The Schneidics Institute needs one of these labs for nemory experiments. Or maybe it needs not to have one, and never know the difference.
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make install -not war
My knee-jerk reaction was an agreement, since we all could be using hyperlinks in journalism (little reason not to); but, the trick on the WWW is to not scream when we come into incompetence-- or lack of imagination re: linking. Not all people have not been introduced to the Way of the internet.
That's an very impressive achievement. But can it remember where I left my car keys?
Eventually, the hope is that we can find some set of chemicals that produces neurobehavior much like we see under fMRI and other scanning methodologies. And I think there is a theory out there on the internet, maybe this is just leftover from religious institutions, basically the claim that there are different neurostructures that produce different 'intelligences' or information processing tools, so our memory-in-the-jar might not be able to remember much of itself. Not sure if we are ready to classify neuroprocessing yet.
I've always wanted to go there, but just couldn't afford a real vacation. Now I can finally visit Mars.
Now, what sort of options are available for the memory implant's "ego trip"?
Forget Mars, it's dry and dusty anyway.
Just let me remember that one night with Scarlett Johansson! I've always wanted to go there, but just couldn't afford a real woman!
Fun: chmod g=r my.brain Scary: chmod g=rw my.brain
No, honestly Mom, I wasn't looking at porn again. The computer sneezed all over my keyboard!
"I want room service! I want the club sandwich, I want the cold Mexican beer, I want a $10,000-a-night hooker! I want my shirts laundered like they do at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo."
Depends on what you mean by "brainwashing".
A data storage system based on live neurons doesn't necessarily mean you'll become the automaton of an evil 1984 society. Film-based sci-fi cyborg scenarios are way beyond reach for the time being. Using the term 'cyborg' sensu strictu at the moment implies a hybrid neuroelectronic system for health monitoring purposes.
Initial practical applications of the breakthrough are noted at the bottom of the article: These would be useful for monitoring biological systems like the brain and blood since, being human, they would respond to the same chemicals.
In theory yes, it could "brainwash"... for example if the neurochip finds impurities or toxins in the brain's liquor!
"Sum Ergo Cogito"
no, go back to your pork schnitzel, shlomo! fyi: M-systems did not invent Flash, nor USb keys is that a such a great invention? ditto for ICQ. various kinds of defense weapons.. lame! OK, I'll bite, Brits, Americans and Germans invented everything else, so what!
Can it work to help forgetting? There's goatse.cx, tubgirl, and that weekend in Tijuana...
Ooh, a sarcasm detector. Oh, that's a real useful invention.
cool- when I am old and my brain goes I can install a new one and flash the firmware-
or hell I can just flash someone else's brain and be in there... nice
Created artificial memories for the FIRST time, my ass. I remember doing it
back in the late 70's.
This only works on things that have a brain (or other similar arrangement of neurons)