Mark Zuckerberg-Funded Researchers Test Implantable Brain Devices (scmp.com) 80
Mark Zuckerberg and his pediatrician wife Priscilla Chan have sold close to 30 million shares of Facebook to fund an ambitious biomedical research project, called the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), with a goal of curing all disease within a generation. A less publicized component of that US$5 billion program includes work on brain-machine interfaces, devices that essentially translate thoughts into commands.
From a report: One recent project is a wireless brain implant that can record, stimulate and disrupt the movement of a monkey in real time. In a paper published in the highly cited scientific journal Nature on Monday, researchers detail a wireless brain device implanted in a primate that records, stimulates, and modifies its brain activity in real time, sensing a normal movement and stopping it immediately. Those researchers are part of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, a non-profit medical research group within the CZI. Scientists refer to the interference as "therapy" because it is designed to be used to treat diseases like epilepsy or Parkinson's by stopping a seizure or other disruptive motion just as it starts.
"Our device is able to monitor the primate's brain while it's providing the therapy so you know exactly what's happening," Rikky Muller, a co-author of the new study, told Business Insider. A professor of computer science and engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, Muller is also a Biohub investigator. The applications of brain-machine interfaces are far-reaching: while some researchers focus on using them to help assist people with spinal cord injuries or other illnesses that affect movement, others aim to see them transform how everyone interacts with laptops and smartphones. Both a division at Facebook formerly called Building 8 as well as an Elon Musk-founded company called Neuralink have said they are working on the latter.
"Our device is able to monitor the primate's brain while it's providing the therapy so you know exactly what's happening," Rikky Muller, a co-author of the new study, told Business Insider. A professor of computer science and engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, Muller is also a Biohub investigator. The applications of brain-machine interfaces are far-reaching: while some researchers focus on using them to help assist people with spinal cord injuries or other illnesses that affect movement, others aim to see them transform how everyone interacts with laptops and smartphones. Both a division at Facebook formerly called Building 8 as well as an Elon Musk-founded company called Neuralink have said they are working on the latter.
Re: (Score:2)
Oh this is literally a comedians dream. Where to begin? Should we starrt with the requisite IÃ(TM)m Mark Zuckerberg and your not joke?
I think I'll just go with a tried-and-true classic.
https://youtu.be/s2NNZdigSXg [youtu.be]
Strat
Re: (Score:2)
"And we are back to the dark ages..."
Not according to this:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r... [sciencedaily.com]
"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 tr
Donâ(TM)t use Apple Products (Score:1)
I donâ(TM)t use them and neither should you.
Re: (Score:2)
What does Zuckerberg and Apple have to do with each other?
A old question (Score:3)
How much of your brain can be replaced by parts until you are just a simulation of yourself
Re:A old question (Score:5, Interesting)
And that simulation would differ... how?
It's like running a system on bare metal vs an emulator. Only the hardware differs, the software might be even unaware of anything being "amiss".
It gets even funnier if the emulator itself is emulated. Like... are you so sure our universe is running on bare "metal"?
Re: (Score:1)
And that simulation would differ... how?
It's like running a system on bare metal vs an emulator. Only the hardware differs, the software might be even unaware of anything being "amiss".
If our brains differentiated between hard- and software, we wouldn't need to sleep. After a few days without sleep, you start halluscinating. Some time later, you die. The hardwire is rewired differently every time we wake up, and the relation between the prevalent conscious self interpretation and the brain's state in its various differently volatile combined storage and processing centers is different every time.
It's a wonder most of us don't need to be institutionalized permanently, at least if you do
Re: (Score:1)
Re:A old question (Score:4, Insightful)
if each replacement is a slightly imperfect replica of the original, neither you nor anyone else will probably be able to tell any difference for the first few replacements. But at which point do you stop being 'you' and start being something else?
So it'd be just like human body, then?
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But at which point do you stop being 'you' and start being something else?
Immediately and it has nothing to do with the replacements, and 'something' is the wrong word. Someone else is more accurate.
Every experience we have makes us a different person that we was before.
If you create a complete replica of yourself, atom for atom, then this identical clone would be a different person since its experiences diverges from the original immediately.
There is nothing that makes this clone less of a person or worth less in any way.
When thinking about issues like this it is very important
Re: (Score:2)
I was with you till this:
"If you have a friend and that friends mind was put in a computer"
The mind isn't defined as a something that we can consider as the kind of thing we can be put in a computer.
Re: A old question (Score:1)
Will UAE on MacOS in ShapeShifter be the fastest Amiga?
Re: (Score:2)
Ask the Tin Woodsman.
Re: trump (Score:1)
Damn right! Itâ(TM)s time to let China and Russia take the lead while we focus on denying education and healthcare to every US citizen that isnâ(TM)t a millionaire
Re: trump (Score:1)
LOL at Russia taking the lead.
How much lead have you taken?
I believe you swapped two words (Score:2)
What they want is to swap commands into thoughts.
Obey.
If I were Zuckerberg (Score:2)
I'd say, why the hell not? Apparently nothing I do skeeves people out, so why not get direct access to their brains?
I like how the most abuseable devices (Score:1)
are always built with the most benevolent intentions.
Mark Zuckerberg-Funded Researchers (Score:1)
So not only humans (Score:2)
He supports animal abuse.
No thanks! (Score:1)
They already have ... (Score:2)
... Facebook.
Huh. (Score:1)
Where are the animal rights activists? I doubt something like this would ever be accepted willingly by anyone, if it even worked, which I doubt. One thing is for certain though: tech CEOs are officially Josef Mengele, they are not well, and there needs to be some serious monopoly busting in this country.
Implant becoming mandatory by when? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
It already is mandatory. Did you think the monkeys were volunteers, or maybe they signed a waiver?
Well (Score:2)
Wants Facebook to literally read your mind (Score:2)
US $5 billion? (Score:2)
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), with a goal of curing all disease within a generation. A less publicized component of that US$5 billion program includes work on brain-machine interfaces, ...
Hey! Wait, wait, wait. What are they thinking? We could have part of a wall for that kind of money...
Wait, what? (Score:2)
Facebook developing a brain implant?
Is it April 1st already??
PLEASE tell me this is a joke.
We are the ZuckerBorg (Score:2)
You will assimilate yourselves, and pay us for the privilege.
people will flok to it (Score:2)
if they manage to make this work, i imagine a lot of people would buy into it.
just see tfa posted after this one, people won't even leave facebook for $1000.