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Single Neuron Wired To Muscle Un-Paralyzes Monkeys
GalaticGrub writes "A pair of paralyzed monkeys regained the ability to move their arms after researchers wired individual neurons to the monkeys' arm muscles. A team of researchers at the University of Washington temporarily paralyzed each monkey's arm, then rerouted brain signals from a single neuron in the motor cortex around the blocked nerve pathway via a computer. When the neuron fired above a certain rate, the computer translated the signal into a jolt of electricity to the arm muscle, causing it to contract. The monkeys practiced moving their arms by playing a video game."
Indeed, while that neuron surgery thing sounds amazing, I was more shocked at the fact that monkeys actually play videogames.
Then I realized... Are the monkeys smarter than we thought or are we just dumberer than we think we aren't not, now what I meen?
Certainly they may be jumping for joy. Though there is more to it than just wiring an electrode to a muscle before the fat lady can sing again.
A functional limb without any sense of its location in relation to the body is a problem, one without feeling is also a problem. Did they think about electrodes for everything else the nervous system is responsible for too?
Can a human control a monkey arm?
If so, can we control its entire body?
If so, can we do it remotely, through a wire to a cell phone.
If so, how long until someone decides to use monkeys as freedom fighters?
Yes, science should never go down this path, but hey, it is still possible to look down the paths
God spoke to me.
Actually, I think it's not that amazing, given the game they were playing:
"As a test of the rewiring, the researchers had each monkey play a simple video game. By moving its wrist, the monkey could manipulate a cursor on a computer screen. Moving the cursor into a box at the side of the screen earned the monkey a reward."
Odd note, but monkeys seem to have a preference for holding down the s key on american keyboard layouts.
Everything will be taken away from you.
Where's the video of the mokeys playing video games with the bionic nerves?
God is actually powered by Irony. And heaven is a place only for those who don't believe in it.
(okay, that genius idea was totally Dresden Codak's, credit where credit is due.)
GCS/MU/P d- s:- a-- C++++$ UL++ P+ L++ E+ W++ N o K- w--- O M+ V- PS+++ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5- X R++ tv+ b++ DI++ D++ G+ e++ h-