SCI/TECH: Brain Merged with Microchip

"What man's mind can create, man's character can control" - Thomas Edison, this quote may take on new meaning considering recent advancements. Researchers have merged electronic components with brain cells creating a Neuro-Chip that may allow the blind to see and increased memory. This breakthrough could have other applications it could enable patients frozen by disease or injury to circumvent the spinal cord, re-establishing a connection between the body and brain.



This merger of humans and synthetic technology is compelling because it may restore function to the handicapped although this does not eliminate my worries concerning its evolution. The handicapped would be the first beneficiaries of this technology then it would likely move into the military complex to give soldiers an edge finally making its way to the general public.

The government of other agencies could use this to control, manipulate and track everyone with this type of implant. If it was accepted by society it could be a major factor in gaining employment because they may prefer to hire a person with expanded capabilities this technology provides. Creating a larger separation of the classes the poor could not afford the implants and would become less desirable in the work force thereby maintaining the vicious circle of poverty.

I wouldn?t be surprised if in ten years we start using this technology to create ?better? humans, disease free, stronger, smarter everything a loving mother or government could want in a child. Our future evolution will not be shaped by out environment it will be shaped by our own hands. That is to say the human mind will ultimately decide what defines humanity and the physical characteristics found in its form. It will be the technology that leads us to our CYBORG FUTURE.

Additional Resources
web.mit.edu..." target="_blank" class="postlink" rel="nofollow">MIT
New Scientist 1
New Scientist 2
Creative Loafing
University of Michigan
Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry

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[Edited on 21-5-2004 by Zion Mainframe]

[Edited on 21-5-2004 by Banshee]

I would like to thank spngsambigpants for his discovery of this technological advancement.

Nice article man.
Seeing this its evident that in 10-20 years time, we'll see wide spread applications of this, both as a medical cure for alot of things, but also as a method of enhancing the people, propably mainly the military.

/me shuders and thinks about games like DeusEx, System Shock and so on.

great post, i just hope we dont try to use this to live longer. Ewwwww (thinks of bush's head on a metal spider-like machine speaking on tv)

I think he lacks the brainpower to steer a contraption like that Trance :p

and a chip planted in the forehead might also be used to make humans into something like the borg !!!! shut down there higher brain functions and be nice little slaves who do exactly as there programmed to do.....

Does anyone see this besides me...????

Great research work on both of theese related articles Kinglizard .....!

ON THE SAME HAND I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING ALSO AND WOULD GUESS SOME WHERE THIS IS ALREADY BEING IMPLEMENTED...HINT..(DULCE).....
IF WE KNOW THIS MUCH THAN IN SECRET LABRATORIES THE CHANCES ARE HIGH THAT IT IS ALREADY IN PLACE AND BEING USED.....

Thank you all for the wonderful reception of this article. Most of my posts and news reporting revolves around science because that�s where my interest lies. Technology is moving so fast and its speed seems to increase exponentially with time. I also believe this type of technology will be used as a form of control and could easily lead to an entirely different kind of human.

No doubt about that I'm afraid. But it not being said emediatly doesn't mean its already on everyones mind.

Originally posted by watcheroftheskies
ON THE SAME HAND I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING ALSO AND WOULD GUESS SOME WHERE THIS IS ALREADY BEING IMPLEMENTED...HINT..(DULCE).....
IF WE KNOW THIS MUCH THAN IN SECRET LABRATORIES THE CHANCES ARE HIGH THAT IT IS ALREADY IN PLACE AND BEING USED.....

It wouldn�t surprise me at all if they were doing advanced research on this at DULCE or Area 51. I just wonder if the lucky participants are volunteers or prisoners.

Originally posted by kinglizard
Researchers have merged electronic components with brain cells creating a Neuro-Chip that may allow the blind to see and increased memory. This breakthrough could have other applications it could enable patients frozen by disease or injury to circumvent the spinal cord, re-establishing a connection between the body and brain.

Nice find kinglizard The re-connection of the spinal cord is of great interest to me.
This looks promising,
www.eurekalert.org...
Sanc'.

Originally posted by sanctum
Nice find kinglizard

The re-connection of the spinal cord is of great interest to me.
This looks promising,
www.eurekalert.org...
Sanc'.

Thanks sanctum that�s a great article.

I have a feeling DNA tweaking and the ability to increase the brains senses (Kinda like Idiot Savant with out the rain man part) will be much sooner then Cyborb chips. This will be used for Visual and Audio first and that is 20 yrs away from being in the Commerical market IMHO

The ultimate use of this ?

Well you add this and the ability to clone your self.. you could feasibly in the near future create a clone of yourself, and transfer all your memories knowledge and even personality into another you and live forever doing that.

Scary but ya know if we continue along the path it will be done at least by the rich people in the world. This all assumes that we do not need a spiritual soul to live forever which is entirely another thread..

Originally posted by kinglizard

The government of other agencies could use this to control, manipulate and track everyone with this type of implant. If it was accepted by society it could be a major factor in gaining employment because they may prefer to hire a person with expanded capabilities this technology provides. Creating a larger separation of the classes the poor could not afford the implants and would become less desirable in the work force thereby maintaining the vicious circle of poverty.

Yes, this is one aspect of these kind of technological advancements I haven't thoguht of yet. However, this kind of thing is why genetic engineering MUST be made accessible to everyone equally once it becomes availible. If it were only availible to the rich, it would likely result in, as you said, the growth of distances between classes of social stratification. It could eventually even lead to the development of a new species of human superior to the rest of humanity! These technologies meant to enhance humanity could ultimately be very destructive instead. Or maybe it could be viewed as an aspect of evolution if it happens? In the future we might see a scenario where the enhanced humans, being the fittest, are deemed the ones deserving of survival.

[Edited on 21-5-2004 by spngsambigpants]

You have good points however I don�t know how we could avoid it. This technology will likely be available to everyone not unlike an automobile. It seems to me that brain implants and the like will be sold as is everything else. The rich would be able to purchase the latest �brain enhancements�, while the poor would not. In years to come if a poor person wanted these enhancements they may be willing to join the military and receive some of them for free, just another enticement to all who join. Could it be that some College courses in the future would require that the student have some of these �memory upgrades� and �brain assist modules�.

Originally posted by spngsambigpants
It could eventually even lead to the development of a new species of human superior to the rest of humanity! These technologies meant to enhance humanity could ultimately be very destructive instead.

I couldn't agree more. Between the manipulation of DNA to create designer children and neural enhancements that merge man and machine, we don't stand a chance in keeping our current physical bodies.

Yeah and theres a name for it as well, Natural Selection through Survival of the fittest, except in this case its all controlled by fallable humans. Who know maybe this new superior race of humans might save our species cuz IMO either way there is a good chance at our extinction. But at least if we have superhumans amoung us maybe they could lead the way to a better future.

When we think of enhanced human we usually think of it in terms of a Movie or Video Game. Infact i've played most of them and even though the basic science behind the plot was sorta sound I doubt its gonna happen in the way most people think.

One thing is certain though is it's coming and we can do nothing to stop it, just try to weather the storm ppl.

Maybe finally I do not have to study anymore... Just download it BABY!!!!!!!

Originally posted by sardion2000
Yeah and theres a name for it as well, Natural Selection through Survival of the fittest, except in this case its all controlled by fallable humans. Who know maybe this new superior race of humans might save our species cuz IMO either way there is a good chance at our extinction. But at least if we have superhumans amoung us maybe they could lead the way to a better future.

Yes, exactly. That is what is dangerous about it. The fact that the selection is being done by humans. However, I suppose it will be necessary for the perpetuation of the human species. Eventually we are going to die out though, no matter how much we enhance ourselves.

[Edited on 22-5-2004 by spngsambigpants]

The more we understand about the circuitry of the brain, the scarier it seems to get. Lots of good possibilities, but this junk is still scary. This reminds me of a thing they did with rats that was almost a form of mind control.
R/C Rats