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?"

Comments

Minor problem

[Zironic]

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?

Pain

[Ignis Flatus]

taught new firing patterns to a network of neurons by targeting specific points of the network with a chemical called picrotoxin. The new patterns lasted for up to two days without harming the pre-existing firing patterns

or maybe they just caused an injury to the network that took 2 days to heal

RIAA

[revengebomber]

Shit, now the MAFIAA can sue me for remembering something, since it can be recovered two days later.

Re:Yes, but

[revengebomber]

"The new pattern lasted two days"

Sorry... Well, it's more uptime than a Windows system.

First non-SF use for the word "cyborg"?

[blind biker]

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.

Re:First non-SF use for the word "cyborg"?

[wframe9109]

When early man first discovered that a wheel could roll down a hill, how much closer did it bring them to modern day technology used in cars?

Answer: Not very, if at all.

I invite you to sit in on a class discussing this topic (memory); we know so little it's almost entertaining.

Re:FYI

[Metasquares]

Yes and no. Individual improvements tend to be incremental because everyone wants to get a lot of stuff published (this applies to about all of science nowadays). On the other hand, there still are the occasional breakthroughs, and overall the field is moving fairly rapidly. The research tends to sound really interesting, which leads to "hype" when the news agencies attempt to translate the messages in publications for the general public. The papers themselves (and papers in general, really) tend to be cautiously optimistic, citing potential problems, limitations, and improvements for the research in the conclusion.