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Brain Implants Get Brainier

Posted by samzenpus on from the thinking-better dept.

the_newsbeagle writes "Did my head just beep?" wonders a woman who just received a brain implant to treat her intractable epilepsy. We're entering a cyborg age of medicine, with implanted stimulators that send pulses of electricity into the brain or nervous system to prevent seizures or block pain. The first generation of devices sent out pulses in a constant and invariable rhythm, but device-makers are now inventing smart stimulators that monitor the body for signs of trouble and fire when necessary.

49 comments

  1. Entering? Cyborgs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Oh shut up. Pacemakers have been around for decades.

    1. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by knwny · · Score: 0

      Pacemakers have been around for sometime but they aren't the devices that the article is talking about. While some pacemakers are programmable, they are not "smart stimulators that monitor the body for signs of trouble and fire when necessary".

    2. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 4, Informative

      While some pacemakers are programmable, they are not "smart stimulators that monitor the body for signs of trouble and fire when necessary".

      On the contrary, that's exactly what they are. From Wikipedia's pacemaker page:

      Modern pacemakers usually have multiple functions. The most basic form monitors the heart's native electrical rhythm. When the pacemaker does not detect a heartbeat within a normal beat-to-beat time period, it will stimulate the ventricle of the heart with a short low voltage pulse.

      The earliest ones simply stimulated the heart at regular intervals, but this newer variety that monitors the heart for signs of trouble (e.g. irregular heartbeat) and fires when necessary has been around for decades.

    3. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by sjames · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Modern pacemakers are exactly that. They can detect when they need to pace and how much and can also act as internal defibrillators.

    4. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by kammermusik · · Score: 2
      In principle they can be. My father had one which had the capability to act as a defibrilator, more or less autonomously. Apart from that function, it could be programmed to kick in below a certain heart rate.

      The sad thing is: at some examination, the doctors re-programmed it so it would only stimulate the heart at a rate of 40 bpm (or was it that it would only kick in below 40 bpm), but didn't tell my father about it. Though very fine before this secret intervention, since they had changed these settings, his condition and his heart performance deteriorated over the course of ~2 years, after which he eventually died. My mother had this case investigated, and they had to admit this secret change/experiment (the internal protocols of the device cleary showed the date of this change), arguing they had done it in order to stimulate/train his heart's capabilities to work without the pacemaker. As you can imagine, this explanation has kind of a bitter aftertaste.

      Bottom line is: though I appreciate technical advancements of smart/programmable devices in the medical sector, these bear the danger of doctors experimenting with them secretly on patients, i.e., without their consent.

    5. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      Modern pacemakers are exactly that. They can detect when they need to pace and how much and can also act as internal defibrillators.

      Unfortunately there is no such thing as a brain pacemaker at this time.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    6. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by aaron4801 · · Score: 2

      Additionally, this exact tech was predicted in the early 70's: The Terminal Man

    7. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by sjames · · Score: 0

      Someone didn't read TFA

    8. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >Unfortunately there is no such thing as a brain pacemaker at this time.

      You only need half a "brain pacemaker" in the USA. Half a brain is all you will find.

      Search for "brain" on slashdot == "Zero results found"

      Now, don't go away mad, just go the fuck away!

    9. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by ememisya · · Score: 1

      Right, but as this technology progresses and individual neurons can be targeted for activation, it's going to raise some concerns. Such as security. You thought your cellphone had terrible security, imagine getting brain hacked.

      - Hi, my computer is not working, and I have a sudden urge to wire all my saving into an offshore account.
      - Did you click on that attachment we warned you about earlier today?
      ... silence ...
      - I no click attachment...
      - *sigh* I'll be right down, Steve call security until we reinstall Sharon's original brain OS.

    10. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Brain and brain...what is brain?

    11. Re:Entering? Cyborgs? by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      >Unfortunately there is no such thing as a brain pacemaker at this time.

      You only need half a "brain pacemaker" in the USA. Half a brain is all you will find.

      Search for "brain" on slashdot == "Zero results found"

      Now, don't go away mad, just go the fuck away!

      Why would I be mad when you have so eloquently proven my point.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  2. Cue the Terminal Man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No comment..

    1. Re:Cue the Terminal Man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does something smell like pig shit in turpentine?

  3. Wait, there's more... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In just a few years brain implants will be strongly desired fashionable items despite the headaches and will be even smarter -- smart enough to recognize and report all your brain activity to Apple, Google and the NSA.

    And another decade on, they'll treat you like a remote-controlled car.

    1. Re:Wait, there's more... by Iamthecheese · · Score: 1

      I wonder how many people would sign a contract putting them in VR heaven as long as $bigevil inc. gets to use their body.

      --
      If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
    2. Re:Wait, there's more... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hundreds of thousands. After a year of advertising and tense rollout expectation, they'll even pay about $$$ for the privilege + the medical expenses.

    3. Re:Wait, there's more... by yndrd1984 · · Score: 1

      How many people would take a job that gave them almost anything they could imagine, and took no time or effort?

      With the right restrictions (especially the right to quit, proper care for the body, and access to data about what it's being used for) why would that be a bad thing?

    4. Re:Wait, there's more... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even before that people would pay for an implant that could force them to, for example, exercise. Yeah, brainimplant, keep working the muscles and make the pain go away! Or just override the normal lack of will power with iron will to do as told by higher up functions.

  4. Sci fi by Iamthecheese · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Brain enhancements are a tall order. We need:
    • Better knowledge of human brain function
    • Microbots that can evade the immune system
    • Microbots that can move through brain tissue without causing harm
    • Microbots that can link together to from insulated wires, or build insulated wires that are safe in vivo.
    • Microbots that can transmit power and information through several layers of nerve and other tissue

    The thing is, we're getting there. These are no longer science fiction: the path to each of these abilities is very clear. And when these abilities converge we'll have matrix style give-me-knowledge-now and complete VR. Not to mention brain augmentation. This future is far, far closer than it seems.

    --
    If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
    1. Re:Sci fi by Ghaoth · · Score: 1, Funny

      Haven't they already shrunk submarines down and injected them into blood streams?

      --
      Nos Morituri te salutamus
    2. Re:Sci fi by msobkow · · Score: 1

      We're "getting there" in the same sense that the Wright brother's airplane was "getting there" compared to a modern passenger jet or fighter plane.

      --
      I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
    3. Re:Sci fi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd go more for the sense that Leonardo's helicopter was "getting there" compared to a modern aircraft. The concept was there, the technology only needed 400 years to catch up.

    4. Re:Sci fi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We don't need microbots: we need electrode connections that can receive from extremely small electrodes without being swamped by electrical noise. There are several techniques for improving connections, especially David Edell at MIT's work on transecting nerves and putting silicon grids with gold plated holes across the nerve. Unfortunately, the electrical noise for picking up signals from noise is *very* high, and it's very difficult to isolate transmission to the nerves: the smaller you make the electrode, the higher the current density, and the higher the chance of damage if you deposit enough charge to activate the nerve.

      Biocompatibility isn't the problem: platinum works just fine for electrodes, with teflon to coat wires, and plain chip grade silicon such as Edell used is also pretty bio-compatible if you need a rigid substrate.

      Way back in my technical youth, I built the world's highest frequency neural stimulators, and even built the equipment used to got decent functional MRI recordings of human hearing stimulating only one ear in a cochlear implant wearer.

    5. Re:Sci fi by jellomizer · · Score: 3, Insightful

      In terms of brain implants, we are at the Peg-Leg level of sophistication. We can offer them a solution that will help with some problems, but it isn't a case where we can solve all the problems.

      So something that detects that a seizure will happen then does a pulse to stop it. Will help stop the seizure, but not cure all the problems, as well it may bring in some side effects, because the brain so so complicated.

      However for some reason we have been polarized to a point that we really can't judge tradeoffs any more. We want a 100% cure. We want our food to be 100% healthy and fill us up, and meet the taste we are craving, we want technology to Run Fast, Use little power, and be tiny. We want our contractors to be Cheap, Fast and Good.

      The fact that we live in this imperfect world, seems to have a lot of people paralyzed to the idea of progress where progress will sometimes means there will be a tradeoff.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  5. Summary says nothing by rebelwarlock · · Score: 1

    Two tangentially stories seem to have been mashed together via short excerpts that lack context and don't make sense together as a single paragraph. Is there some point to either of the linked articles, or should I assume they're just as bad?

  6. DIMM by PopeRatzo · · Score: 0

    This sounds promising. I could use a memory upgrade.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  7. ob. Crichton by Alrescha · · Score: 1

    20 comments and no reference to The Terminal Man?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    A.

    --
    ...bringing you cynical quips since 1998
  8. The challenge with brain implants by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

    The challenge is in the accuracy. Generally a very small part of the brain has to be stimulated. Miss it and you could end up with a problem worse than the one you were trying to solve. When we figure out a way to more precisely target the right regions - a method that will likely take the surgeon out of the most precise part of the procedure - then we'll really be making great progress.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  9. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  10. Apple pPod by pubwvj · · Score: 1

    I've had an Apple pPod implant for several years. Love it. Best thing is direct access to the the Apple Store 24/7 and no bugs or malware*(^&&^*&^%-system-i98798-breach......

    http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2012/0...

  11. 802.11b(rain) by some+old+guy · · Score: 1

    I can't wait till some marketing douchebag discovers that medical implants can be "connected" to the so-called Internet of Things", ostensibly for "quality assurance" and patient safety purposes. Then bingo! we have targeted advertising delivered straight to the visual cortex.

    Soon after, law enforcement will no doubt demand access to the data.

    This can not end well.

    --
    Scruting the inscrutable for over 50 years.
    1. Re:802.11b(rain) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Meh. I have one word for you: CortexLocker. You thought losing access to your files was bad? How much will you pay for your memories?

      Captchea: disarms

  12. The Terminal Man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terminal_Man
    Michael Crichton already knew how this is going to end up

  13. When can I get a bionic eye? by __aaltlg1547 · · Score: 1

    I'll be first in line.

    1. Re:When can I get a bionic eye? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Free prostate exam: Room 11
      Bionic eye implants: Room 1!

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  14. Probably not as close as you think... by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 2

    The thing is, we're getting there. These are no longer science fiction: the path to each of these abilities is very clear. And when these abilities converge we'll have matrix style give-me-knowledge-now and complete VR. Not to mention brain augmentation. This future is far, far closer than it seems.

    I'd love to think that you're right, but to paraphrase the old Sidney Harris cartoon, I think you need to be more explicit in your last step. Even if we could stitch up the whole brain with safe and robust wires and sensors, knowledge encoding is still largely a blank map.

    Of course, broad- and fine-scale read/write hardware interfaces to the brain will give us a big boost toward figuring out the harder stuff. But that's going to be a massive undertaking, and outside of hand-waving "superintelligent machines will take care of it for us" daydreams, it's going to take a very long time.

    I'm pretty confident in this prediction, but it does occupy a place of pride in my display of "things I'd really love to be wrong about".

    1. Re:Probably not as close as you think... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even if we could stitch up the whole brain with safe and robust wires and sensors, knowledge encoding is still largely a blank map.

      Aaaah, but if we could do that, how long would knowledge encoding remain a blank map? Being able to monitor what goes on in real-time at that level might very well give us the information we need to know.

  15. The MPAA and RIAA appluad this good work by DickBreath · · Score: 1

    Brain implants are the next major innovation that will usher in a new utopia for mankind.

    Just imagine.

    Whenever you see or hear anything copyrighted, the brain implant can automatically charge your credit card. Now that's convenience!

    This will be good for all. Everyone knows that protecting content is the highest goal and priority of mankind. Pirates are lawbreakers. Lawbreakers should not be allowed* to break the law.

    Your fiends at the MPAA and RIAA.


    * only the MPAA and RIAA should be allowed to do that

    --

    I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    1. Re:The MPAA and RIAA appluad this good work by baka_toroi · · Score: 1

      You're preaching to the choir and you are also exaggerating.

      They will charge you when you decide to listen to something, not when you hear or see it.

  16. Welcome! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Welcome to the first fully automated international flight. We have just left Kennedy Airport in New York. Controlled by the world's most advanced cybernetics, this flight is perfectly safe and you have nothing to worry about. Nothing can go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, ...

  17. Is it me by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 0
    Or has slashdot gone over the edge this morning? Crazy FUD shit goin' on heah! I'm not certain the premise that an implant designed to break up epilepsy is turning people into cyborgs, or even "entering the age of".

    At least not until we start integrating our brain implants into the Internet of "Things". Gonna take a mu metal hat to block that shit.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  18. Michael Crichton by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "The Terminal Man" was exactly the story of a brain implant to control schizophrenia...

  19. Termina Man? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does anyone here read Michael Crichton? Is this woman on the edge of becoming a dangerous criminal as a result of the implanted hardware?

  20. VERY CRUDE TREATMENT by thygate · · Score: 1

    I'm not convinced there's any real progress here, I actually thought most of these implants were closed-loop already. However this still seems VERY crude ! What's going on here is that they're detecting patterns that are empirically determined to trigger an onset of an attack, and then just blast some indiscriminate region of the brain with electric pulses of which the parameters are also determined empirically .. Ok, it's a good progress for people that really need it, and for whom there are no alternatives, but it also shows how primitive this technology still is, and how little we still know about signalling in the brain.

  21. The Terminal Man by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This reminded me of the 1970's novel "The Terminal Man" by Michael Crichton. There was also a 1974 movie based on the book. Look out for positive feedback run amuck.

  22. Who needs brains anyway? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What if the Borg crept up on us slowly and without warning?

    http://www.prtaylor.gatech.edu/wordpress/1102p3/2013/08/30/the-brainpal/