In the future direct interfacing between the brain and technology seems likely. The rudimentary technology has already been demonstrated and Musk’s company is working on an implant meant to be a commercial product. My question is about how you see the interface eventually working. In particular I am curious about what the advantage of an implant is.
From the demonstrations I’ve seen things like typing, moving cursors, ect can be achieved with sensors applied to the body externally like an fmri skullcap or a neckband that reads vibrations in the vocal cords. External sensors are much safer to apply than a brain implant, they can be replaced much more easily if they malfunction, and they can be upgraded. I have read an article that said there are advantages to implants for people with medical issues like paralysis because the implant can offer feedback providing a more “normal” experience and interacting with specific nerves gives more precise control and less lag time. For medical applications like restoring lost function that makes the risk of surgery make sense. For the average person what advantages do implants offer over external sensors that make the risks of brain surgery worth it?
Not zero reason. Some people with certain disabilities could benefit from such a device. (Stephen Hawking for instance, was limited to about 10 words per minute with his button interface. A brain interface on a similar patient could be closer to normal conversion speed.)
Yeah, but the implant does nothing that can’t be done without surgery
Brain surgery isn’t just something you do for shits and gigles.
Okay, but would you rather be locked in your unmoving body or get brain surgery and have motion again? Would you rather be blind and deaf or get brain surgery and have your senses back?
What?
I dont think you understand anything about this subject…
Probably any subject, but definitely not this one
Your issue, as far as I understood it, was that the brain implants are pointless, cause they do nothing we can’t already do. There’s plenty current medical technology can’t fix, but a brain implant could (one day). Such as restoring sight by bridging cameras to the visual cortex; or restoring control over their body to disabled people, either by bypassing damaged nerves anywhere in the body or connecting prosthetics to the motor cortex. Are those things worth the trouble of going through brain surgery?
You’re vastly overestimating what Musk has…
Drastically underestimating what it would take to get that stuff…
All while ignoring that what Musk is attempting to do, has essentially already been done.
Musk just wants to shrink it down a little, while claiming he invented it.
But considering he can’t even get the brain surgery done, why would you trust his product?
Like, don’t do it right after eating. But read up on his “studies”. They’re following no scientific procedure and basically trying random shit while torturing intelligent animals to death.
And this isn’t a rant against animal testing, thats a thing that sucks but we need it. But Musk is not at the point for it yet, and from what records they do keep of the experiments, it legitimately looks like they’re not trying.
They’re not even sterilizing the surgery equipment.
You have zero idea what youre defending.
Which is true of most people defending musks companies in any field.
You just believe his claims and accept them despite zero evidence or it ever working in the past.
Why are you bringing up Musk? I fail to see how Neuralink is the killing blow to the very concept of brain-computer interfaces. Your bias is showing.
It’s true that current BCIs can’t do what I outlined as their potential benefits. Hence, why they’re potential. The technology still needs to develop before those potential benefits can be realised. Personally, I look forward to that day.