destinyland writes "A Stanford researcher has spliced light-sensitive algae genes into human brain cells to fire neurons when activated by a laser. Light is shined through an implanted fiber optic cable (blue light on, yellow light off), and the procedure can target very specific deep brain structures too fragile for most surgery. 'Once the researcher attaches the other end of the cable to a laser, he or she has absolute and flawless control over that group of neurons.' Science writer Quinn Norton cites it as a first attempt at 'building useful handles on the very things that make us ourselves.'"
This sounds an awful like binary.... Could this potentially be used to make bio-computers? Or at the very least Bio-Memory? Perhaps it has too many flaws to be useful, but the idea of using cells to store data is interesting to say the least.
So, how do they get the laser beam through the person's thick skull to shine on these light sensitive cells?
AWESOME! My major in trepanation will finally come in handy! Just let me warm up my drill and I'll be coasting through this recession on the cutting edge of science, baby!
they need to open up the brain to insert the virus and it seems they install a 50 micrometer fiber optic cable that points to the specific cells right after that. and my best guess is that you have a cable coming out of your head which you then connect to the laser. the whole thing sounds pretty amazing with the whole algae and archaeon genes, very cool.
So I need to get tinfoil glasses now too so the government can't control my mind? How do you expect those of us that believe in conspiracy theories to see UFOs? Sounds shady.
Like with all drugs that activate the nucleus accumbens, you'd develop tolerance. Soon even the largest laser doses wouldn't suffice, and you'd become a laser addict, roaming the streets, rummaging through trash containers, trying to find old CD drives to get your laser fix. Is that really the kind of life you want for yourself?
Yea, coherent light would become a controlled substance. Wicked Lasers would be contraband. Laser junkies would be hanging around the NIF, begging for spare photons. It wouldn't be pretty.
So, thanks for the foresight. I'll have them run a copper wire alongside my fiber, just in case.
Like with all drugs that activate the nucleus accumbens, you'd develop tolerance. Soon even the largest laser doses wouldn't suffice, and you'd become a laser addict, roaming the streets, rummaging through trash containers, trying to find old CD drives to get your laser fix. Is that really the kind of life you want for yourself?
I have this mental image of a bunch of soldiers with sets of remotely controlled optical fibers hanging out of their head. For some reason in this image they're all kind of grey like something out of Edward Scissorhands or perhaps The Matrix, or maybe The Borg from Startrek....and the best bit is that the guy controlling them is doing it with an r/c aircraft radio. "Crush, kill, destroy, my pets!". Wait, I think someone has implanted MY brain with Hollywood crap. They did it the old fashioned way though - tv brainwashing.
1. Invoke mental imagery, preferably without interfering with normal vision. 2. Infer mental imagery manipulation.. for example, when you hear the question "what letter do you get by turning a Z on its side?" results in a common specific quale of visual intelligence. 3. Test and improve the rate and bandwidth.
With such an interface you can do human computer interaction in ways that are completely unavailable to current input devices. Imagine having a 3d modeling tool where you can just think about the object you want, or how it differs from the object you're seeing. Imagine, if you can, receiving data at a higher bandwidth than video.
Even if a neural interface were only able to replace my mouse and keyboard (or multiple ones), I'd be happy. No need to worry about ergonomic "layout"s, no repetetive stresses. I'd love to see that, even if it's a ways off still.
Sci-fi has been having human "jacking in" to computer systems, via
direct connection to the brain for a while. This technology ought to
make that possible, Just how to make the brain cells actually
connect themselves in some useful way to the rest of the brain,
seems tricky though, and i hope these gene splice brain cells
are safe against cancer etc.
Before Michael Crichton got in bed with the oil industry with "State of Fear" (with rain forest venom dart shooting environmentalists driving Priuses) he wrote some really good science fiction (like "The Andromeda Strain"). In a previous book "The Terminal Man" he wrote about a man who had electrical impulses providing him with biofeedback (which he abuses). Substitute lasers and Voila! It was later made into a movie. Anybody see it?
Before Michael Crichton got in bed with the oil industry with "State of Fear" (with rain forest venom dart shooting environmentalists driving Priuses) he wrote some really good science fiction (like "The Andromeda Strain"). In a previous book "The Terminal Man" he wrote about a man who had electrical impulses providing him with biofeedback (which he abuses). Substitute lasers and Voila! It was later made into a movie. Anybody see it? Also, there was an Arthur C. Clarke science fiction story where electrode
Researchers have learned how to make light-activated brain cells that can affect deep-brain structures and help us in "building useful handles on the very things that make us ourselves". And yet, I'm the only person who tagged this article "Dollhouse". Come on, people! Star Trek references are old; you have to move with the times if you want to keep your geek license!
Light-activated brain writing -> Dollhouse. You should know this stuff.
Exactly. The further science comes, the closer scientists will be to proving the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster: The source of creation, consciousness, and morality. Finally, we can have world peace when the people of Earth are united in worship of the one, true God.
We've been over this. God is sufficient but not necessary for consciousness. It's far too early to tell either way right now. Keep working on the Hard Problem:-)
God is sufficient but not necessary for consciousness.
That's a completely meaningless statement, since both "God" and "consciousness" are vague concepts that nobody can define without some serious hand-waving.
You are confusing "nobody can" with "I cannot". Consciousness is not yet defined, but it will be. It's not a philosophical, but rather physical concept. All physical concepts, however complicated, are definable.
I knew I should have qualified it with an "at the moment" the second I hit submit, but your "it will be" isn't a given. We might find out how it works (and I hope we will), but perhaps we are fundamentally unable to.
But we may construct an AI who can figure it out. (Who will subsequently be unable to explain it in a way out monkey brains can grasp it.)
But we may construct an AI who can figure it out. (Who will subsequently be unable to explain it in a way out monkey brains can grasp it.)
and that is the point where the AI decides we are no longer the creator as we cant understand something basic, Decides we are lying to them and unworthy and starts a systematic extinction of the human race.
See what you started? See? It's all because you had to open your mouth and correct one person...
you Killed humanity sir.. I hope you can live with that.
Can any system transcend itself? Can humans never understand consciousness? Isn't this the core of Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems? Aren't too many rhetorical questions annoying?
There's nothing wrong that that statement though - proving one vague sufficiently proves the other, but to prove the other it is not necessary to prove the first.
until they realize finally that the brian does not produce consciousness but rather, is an interface for it. When they do realize that, maybe they'll be a little humbled by those who have been saying as much for the last several thousand years and won't be so quick to discount such things in the future.
Brian: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand? Honestly! Girl: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity. Brian: What? Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah! Followers: He is! He is the Messiah! Brian: Now, fuck off! [silence] Arthur: How shall we fuck off, O Lord?
Why brain cells.... (Score:3, Informative)
So.... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
So, how do they get the laser beam through the person's thick skull to shine on these light sensitive cells?
AWESOME! My major in trepanation will finally come in handy! Just let me warm up my drill and I'll be coasting through this recession on the cutting edge of science, baby!
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
This is the Matrix on a small scale.
Imagine that big plug really being a bundle of tiny fiber optic jacks...
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Imagine that big plug really being a bundle of tiny fiber optic jacks...
Gibson called them MicroSofts ... Rather apt I thought!
Tinfoil glasses? (Score:3, Funny)
So I need to get tinfoil glasses now too so the government can't control my mind? How do you expect those of us that believe in conspiracy theories to see UFOs? Sounds shady.
Re: (Score:2)
Laser Heads (Score:2)
Put me down for a laser stimulation implant of the nucleus accumbens [wikipedia.org] .
Speaking of "stimulated emissions," I'll never leave the house!
Re:Laser Heads (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Yea, coherent light would become a controlled substance. Wicked Lasers would be contraband. Laser junkies would be hanging around the NIF, begging for spare photons. It wouldn't be pretty.
So, thanks for the foresight. I'll have them run a copper wire alongside my fiber, just in case.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
I'll have them run a copper wire alongside my fiber, just in case.
Congratulations, you've invented the droud [wikipedia.org]. Larry Niven would be proud.
Re: (Score:2)
Like with all drugs that activate the nucleus accumbens, you'd develop tolerance. Soon even the largest laser doses wouldn't suffice, and you'd become a laser addict, roaming the streets, rummaging through trash containers, trying to find old CD drives to get your laser fix. Is that really the kind of life you want for yourself?
Yes!
Re: (Score:2)
Could be worse. You could OD on a laser powerful enough to vaporize a hole your head!
Do not connect laser to remaining good lobe... (Score:2)
Could be worse. You could OD on a laser powerful enough to vaporize a hole your head!
A friend of mine used to work with very high powered C02 lasers. For demonstration purposes they used to destroy bricks. Sounds like just the ticket!
Zombie armies (Score:3, Funny)
I have this mental image of a bunch of soldiers with sets of remotely controlled optical fibers hanging out of their head. For some reason in this image they're all kind of grey like something out of Edward Scissorhands or perhaps The Matrix, or maybe The Borg from Startrek....and the best bit is that the guy controlling them is doing it with an r/c aircraft radio. "Crush, kill, destroy, my pets!". Wait, I think someone has implanted MY brain with Hollywood crap. They did it the old fashioned way though - tv brainwashing.
Re: (Score:2)
It'd probably be cheaper to just build Killbots, and people would complain less too. Not to mention better armored.
Re: (Score:2)
And maybe they could run Lotus Notes?
Re: (Score:2)
And the twist at the end is that the guy with the r/c controller is really a robot!
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
""Crush, kill, destroy, my pets!". "
If it was made by microsoft, right after that command they all would start stomping the life out of your pets....
What would you do without mister fluffles?
Slashdot stories featuring lasers (Score:2)
Instantly flooded with posts beating that dead horse. (Dead shark?)
Lock and Load (Score:2)
Lock phasers on the pleasure centers.
Stand by to fire.
Great, now commercialize it.. (Score:3, Interesting)
Things you need to do with your DNI:
1. Invoke mental imagery, preferably without interfering with normal vision.
2. Infer mental imagery manipulation.. for example, when you hear the question "what letter do you get by turning a Z on its side?" results in a common specific quale of visual intelligence.
3. Test and improve the rate and bandwidth.
With such an interface you can do human computer interaction in ways that are completely unavailable to current input devices. Imagine having a 3d modeling tool where you can just think about the object you want, or how it differs from the object you're seeing. Imagine, if you can, receiving data at a higher bandwidth than video.
Re: (Score:2)
Even if a neural interface were only able to replace my mouse and keyboard (or multiple ones), I'd be happy. No need to worry about ergonomic "layout"s, no repetetive stresses. I'd love to see that, even if it's a ways off still.
Re: (Score:2)
the last place i want a virus is in my brain from hooking it to a computer
Too late [playhimoff...ardcat.com].
Some pics (Score:5, Funny)
Here's a pic [blogspot.com] of the subject hooked up to the machine.
Make us ourselves (Score:2)
Here comes our direct Neural Link (Score:4, Interesting)
---
Futurology Feed [feeddistiller.com] @ Feed Distiller [feeddistiller.com]
aren't there already (Score:2)
Now we know how the mind control lasers work. (Score:3, Funny)
And why the operators are called "illuminati". B-)
This isn't good... (Score:3, Funny)
everyone will become light headed.
Sharks with What . . . (Score:2)
H+ mag slashvertisements by destinyland (Score:2)
destinyland only posts stories from H+ magazine... they are neat but feels like its just an advertising extension ala Roland (RIP)
Lights On, Or Lights Off?..... (Score:2)
I guess that this particular neurologist likes to do it with the lights on.....
---
Welders do it in all positions.
Spinal damage (Score:4, Interesting)
I wonder if this can be applied to other purposes like bypassing damaged sections of a paraplegics spinal cord.
We would need to develop a neuron to laser device at the other end first, but the possibilities of making people walk again are worth investment.
"The Terminal Man" (and I don't mean UNIX) (Score:2)
Before Michael Crichton got in bed with the oil industry with "State of Fear" (with rain forest venom dart shooting environmentalists driving Priuses) he wrote some really good science fiction (like "The Andromeda Strain"). In a previous book "The Terminal Man" he wrote about a man who had electrical impulses providing him with biofeedback (which he abuses). Substitute lasers and Voila!
It was later made into a movie. Anybody see it?
"The Terminal Man" (and other stories) (Score:2)
Before Michael Crichton got in bed with the oil industry with "State of Fear" (with rain forest venom dart shooting environmentalists driving Priuses) he wrote some really good science fiction (like "The Andromeda Strain"). In a previous book "The Terminal Man" he wrote about a man who had electrical impulses providing him with biofeedback (which he abuses). Substitute lasers and Voila!
It was later made into a movie. Anybody see it?
Also, there was an Arthur C. Clarke science fiction story where electrode
Laser-activated Brain Cells? (Score:2)
The reverse of that would be so much cooler.
Slashdot's been going downhill... (Score:2)
Researchers have learned how to make light-activated brain cells that can affect deep-brain structures and help us in "building useful handles on the very things that make us ourselves". And yet, I'm the only person who tagged this article "Dollhouse". Come on, people! Star Trek references are old; you have to move with the times if you want to keep your geek license!
Light-activated brain writing -> Dollhouse. You should know this stuff.
Noodly Appendages (Score:5, Funny)
Exactly. The further science comes, the closer scientists will be to proving the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster: The source of creation, consciousness, and morality. Finally, we can have world peace when the people of Earth are united in worship of the one, true God.
Parent
Re:First Post! (Score:4, Interesting)
We've been over this. God is sufficient but not necessary for consciousness. It's far too early to tell either way right now. Keep working on the Hard Problem:-)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
God is sufficient but not necessary for consciousness.
That's a completely meaningless statement, since both "God" and "consciousness" are vague concepts that nobody can define without some serious hand-waving.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I knew I should have qualified it with an "at the moment" the second I hit submit, but your "it will be" isn't a given. We might find out how it works (and I hope we will), but perhaps we are fundamentally unable to.
But we may construct an AI who can figure it out. (Who will subsequently be unable to explain it in a way out monkey brains can grasp it.)
Re: (Score:2)
But we may construct an AI who can figure it out. (Who will subsequently be unable to explain it in a way out monkey brains can grasp it.)
and that is the point where the AI decides we are no longer the creator as we cant understand something basic, Decides we are lying to them and unworthy and starts a systematic extinction of the human race.
See what you started? See? It's all because you had to open your mouth and correct one person...
you Killed humanity sir.. I hope you can live with that.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
There's nothing wrong that that statement though - proving one vague sufficiently proves the other, but to prove the other it is not necessary to prove the first.
Re: (Score:2)
until they realize finally that the brian does not produce consciousness but rather, is an interface for it. When they do realize that, maybe they'll be a little humbled by those who have been saying as much for the last several thousand years and won't be so quick to discount such things in the future.
Brian: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand? Honestly!
Girl: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.
Brian: What? Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!
Followers: He is! He is the Messiah!
Brian: Now, fuck off!
[silence]
Arthur: How shall we fuck off, O Lord?