Our brain is the source of everything that makes us human: language, creativity, rationality, emotion, communication, culture, and politics. Now, researchers are set to repair brain functions, to create mind-machine interfaces, and enhance human mental capacities in radical ways.
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Posted by
Kris Notaro on 02/19 at 01:44 PM
“Wake Forest’s Sam Deadwyler and his team recently implanted microchips in monkeys to recapture lost decision-making processes, demonstrating that a neural prosthetic can recover cognitive function in the brain.” - I hope the monkeys were treated like humans, now that would be another positive spin on brain enhancement, brain-to-computer-interfaces, and the integration of mind with machine! - Kris 
Posted by
rmk948 on 02/19 at 04:37 PM
“This work paves the way for implants that will one day monitor a person’s thoughts and speak words and sentences as they are imagined. However, there are privacy issues to consider. For example, will we be able to distinguish between words a person wants to say and thoughts they would rather keep private.”
Yes, I’d better get a little pop-up in my visual field saying “You are about to send “#@%^&* you!” Are you sure you want to send this?”
Posted by
Dick Pelletier on 02/19 at 06:19 PM
Much caution must be used as this technology unfolds, but with diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other deadly brain conditions, the desire is certainly there.
In addition, when enhancements for the non-sick become a viable option, commerce will grab a hold of this science and insure its development.
If we stay positive, I see this as a huge benefit to humanity.
Posted by
SHaGGGz on 02/19 at 11:02 PM
Such devices will interact pretty interestingly with existing law and culture as they are essentially little fragments of selfhood we can pass around, recombine, steal, duplicate, tweak, blend, etc.
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