4 ms·

I think that one of the major hurdles to BCI is the mechanism of connection. When electrodes are connected to neurons they have a tendency to be destroyed. Howe

by tlow 10y ago

I think that one of the major hurdles to BCI is the mechanism of connection. When electrodes are connected to neurons they have a tendency to be destroyed. However, one might imagine the development of sophisticated electromagnetic equipment which might suitable focus and modulate "receptor pathways" in the brain. This seems far off. Eyes are convenient sensory organs to utilize for input. Getting directly to the brain seems more like trying to manipulate electron flow in a PCB without removing the external enclosure. (not to say that's impossible, just not as easy as cutting a trace and soldering in a connection)

selectiveshift 10y ago
The great thing about our brains is how malleable they are. We should be creating as low tech a mechanism as possible and then train our brains to use it.
- tlow 10y ago
  I wanted to discuss an expansion of this idea, I am so glad you brought it up. Less than 100 years ago we as humanity largely believed that we were fated with the brains and capacity we were born with. Today, we know this isn't true. In fact, cases like Phineas Gage make one wonder.[1] Now to respond to you comment. There is no reason that we couldn't develop methodologies for utilizing our sensory input to train our brains in mechanisms we've not even considered or dreamed of today. Maybe we can achieve a hyper-reality where reality speed is 5x but after a small period our brains can adjust and then we can learn at 5x. Our brains are limitless. Our ability to directly interface to them with electronics seems tenable today (but that may or may not always be true). [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_Gage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_Gage