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Wireless 'Pacemaker For the Brain' Could Offer New Treatment For Neurological Disorders (sciencedaily.com)
Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a new neurostimulator that can listen to and stimulate electric current in the brain at the same time, potentially delivering fine-tuned treatments for patients with diseases like epilepsy and Parkinson's. Science Daily reports: The device, named the WAND, works like a "pacemaker for the brain," monitoring the brain's electrical activity and delivering electrical stimulation if it detects something amiss. These devices can be extremely effective at preventing debilitating tremors or seizures in patients with a variety of neurological conditions. But the electrical signatures that precede a seizure or tremor can be extremely subtle, and the frequency and strength of electrical stimulation required to prevent them is equally touchy. It can take years of small adjustments by doctors before the devices provide optimal treatment.
WAND, which stands for wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device, is both wireless and autonomous, meaning that once it learns to recognize the signs of tremor or seizure, it can adjust the stimulation parameters on its own to prevent the unwanted movements. And because it is closed-loop -- meaning it can stimulate and record simultaneously -- it can adjust these parameters in real-time. WAND can record electrical activity over 128 channels, or from 128 points in the brain, compared to eight channels in other closed-loop systems. To demonstrate the device, the team used WAND to recognize and delay specific arm movements in rhesus macaques. The device is described in a study that appeared in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
WAND, which stands for wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device, is both wireless and autonomous, meaning that once it learns to recognize the signs of tremor or seizure, it can adjust the stimulation parameters on its own to prevent the unwanted movements. And because it is closed-loop -- meaning it can stimulate and record simultaneously -- it can adjust these parameters in real-time. WAND can record electrical activity over 128 channels, or from 128 points in the brain, compared to eight channels in other closed-loop systems. To demonstrate the device, the team used WAND to recognize and delay specific arm movements in rhesus macaques. The device is described in a study that appeared in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
meaning to messing with someones head, for those who like to mess with others for fun and profit.
;)
Just my 2 cents
Or Arthur C Clarke:
"I'm sorry about your confusion with the government, Dave. Here, let me fix that for you."
Ok, I know enough walking wounded that I look at this endeavor with exceedingly cautious optimism. The chances that it could be misused, hacked, or lead to nefarious endings scares the crap out of me.
---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
I am sure the prison industrial complex will love it, installed by court order.
Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
And, of course, all your information will be uploaded to the cloud.
Is it made by Quovadis, in China, using inferior materials, rather than the US, as claimed?
excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
This seems very similar to Zuckerberg's brain implant we just heard about yesterday. I'm comforted to know that both the private and public sectors are racing so hard to be the first to turn me into a high-tech marionette.
... fixing depression with it?
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Exciting new medical development
Aiyee! Dystopia! I saw this in manga once!
Chinese land probe on far side of moon
Woo hoo! You go, totalitarian communist dictatorship!
Have any of scientists that worked on this read Michael Crichton's "Terminal Man" and asked "What could possibly go wrong?"
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Just get your sexbot reprogrammed, duh!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Have you ever heard the expression, "You can't fix stupid!". Well, there are some things technology can't do!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
I've had a "neuro-pacemaker" for epilepsy for over a year: https://www.neuropace.com/ In my case where I was having more than 90 seizures per-quarter (almost all during normal sleep) after tuning the device it has reduced to about 30 seizures per-quarter. As well as which, the seizures I do have are much less severe and leave me without post-seizure symptoms like very bad headaches. I also no longer experience enuresis. I'm 51 years old, had almost nightly enuresis as a child without seizures being diagnosed until I was 18 by which time and since I experienced enuresis about once per-month. I haven't experienced enuresis since the surgery. Yes, enuresis means wetting the bed in my case. Absolutely awful experience at 50. For me it's been a boon to have the implant and much more effective than drugs have ever been. I can also claim to truly be a robot because I have under-skin hexagonal screw-heads that are easily detected by touch.