Brain implant
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
The term brain implants usually refers to devices of a technological nature that are connected directly to a biological subject's brain - usually placed on the surface of the brain, or attached to the brain's cortex. A common purpose of modern brain implants and the focus of much current research is establishing a biomedical prosthesis circumventing areas in the brain, which became dysfunctional after a stroke or other head injuries. This includes sensory substitution, e.g. in vision. Brain implants involve creating, popularly called, brain-machine interfaces, interfaces between neural systems and computer chips.
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Research
Brain implants electrically stimulate single neurons or groups of neurons (biological neural networks) in the brain. This can only be done where the functional associations of these neurons are approximately known. Because of the complexity of neural processing and the poor resolution of brain imaging techniques, the application of brain implants is seriously limited. However, research in sensory substitution has made steep progress in recent years.
Especially in vision, due to the knowledge of the working of the visual system, eye implants (often involving some brain implants or monitoring) have been applied with demonstrated success. For hearing, cochlear implants have also proved useful in restoring patients hearing functions (however it is not clear whether these can be classified as "brain implants").
Breakthroughs include the control of physical device by rats brains ([1] (http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4262)), monkeys over robotic arms ([2] (http://www.rybak-et-al.net/chapin.html)), remote control of mechanical devices in monkeys and humans ([3] (http://www.wireheading.com/misc/implant.html)), remote control over the movements of roaches ([4] (http://www.wireheading.com/roboroach/)), electronic-based neuron transistors for leeches ([5] (http://www.davidjrodger.com/super1.htm)), control of the movements of rats, etc.
Since official statistics are not available, there is no way of knowing how many devices have been implanted in human brains. However the London Times in 1994 estimated that there had been 15,000 cases in the previous decade.
Deep brain stimulators have been in use for several years to ease the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.
Future brain implants may make use of materials as nanoscale carbon fibers, nanotubes, and polycarbonate urethane.
(see also nanotechnology, cognotechnology, and neurotechnology)
Historical research on brain implants
(see also: History of brain imaging)
In 1870, Eduard Hitzig and Gustav Fritsch demonstrated that electrical strimulation of certain areas in the brain of dogs could result in movements. Robert Bartholow showed the same to be true for humans in 1874. By the start of the 20th century Fedor Krause could do a systematic mapping of human brain areas, using patients that had undergone brain surgery.
Starting from the 1950s, in the US, CIA-funded projects, as e.g. MKULTRA, did a lot of research in mind control techniques. According to Jose Delgado, "the feasibility of remote control of activities in several species of animals has been demonstrated [...] The ultimate objective of this research is to provide an understanding of the mechanisms involved in the directional control of animals and to provide practical systems suitable for human application." (cited in Keith, Mind Control, p. 130). Robert G. Heath did experiments with aggressive mental patients, where they could influence their own mood by electrical stimulation. Jose Delgado, involved in the Pandora Project, who later was to write a popular book on mind control, called "Physical Control of the Mind", invented the stimoceiver or transdermal stimulator a device that, implanted in the brain, can transmit electrical impulses.
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Fears and hopes - discussion of the implications for humans
Some futurologists, such as Raymond Kurzweil, see brain implants as part of a next step for humans in progress and evolution, whereas others, especially bioconservatives, view them as unnatural, with humankind losing essential human qualities. It is argued that implants would technically change people into cybernetic organisms (cyborgs). Some people fear implants may be used for mind control, e.g. to change human perception of reality.
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Brain implants in fiction and philosophy
In Hilary Putnam's argument of the brain in a vat, she argues that brains, being directly fed with an input from a computer (instead of reality), would have no chance of detecting the deception.
In the film Brainstorm, a scientist develops the technology to record thoughts, feelings, and sensations, and to transfer them to another mind. It also hints at ethical problems when the military is trying to possess the technology.
In the book The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton, a man suffering from brain damage caused by an accident undergoes experimental surgery to place implants in his brain. These implants are designed to calm him whenever it detects the start of a seizure. However, he soon abuses the chip, triggering it for pleasure; things deteriorate from there.
While popular treatises of brain implants are rare, discussion of mind control is more widespread. Especially popular visions of the control a totalitarian state can have over individuals' minds are Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell, and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. Stanislaw Lem's The Futurological Congress, deals with control by drugs.
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See also
- Sensory substitution
- Mind control
- Transdermal stimulator
- Biomedical engineering
- Cognotechnology
- Direct mind-computer interface
- Artificial brain
- Neuroprosthetics
References
This article is based on a comprehensive article at geocities.com (http://www.geocities.com/skews_me/implants.html).
External links
- Peter Passaro, Is it Possible to Download Knowledge into the Brain? (http://www.betterhumans.com/Features/Ask_an_Expert/answer.aspx?articleID=2004-01-16-2)
- What Types of Cyborg Implants Are Available Now? (http://www.betterhumans.com/Features/Ask_an_Expert/answer.aspx?articleID=2004-03-08-1)
- On Jose Delgado (http://www.shoah.plus.com/801/abduct/brainimp.html)
Further Readings
- Jose Delgado's book "Physical Control of the Mind (http://www.angelfire.com/or/mctrl/delgado.htm)
Jim Keith, Mass Control: Engineering Human Consciousness. Adventures Unlimited Press. 2003. ISBN 1931882215.
Categories: Section stubs | Neuroscience | Engineering | Human-computer interaction | Anti-cult terms and concepts
