Planet of the Apes Meets the Matrix
ChrisB on Jan 16 2008 at 7:05 pm | Filed under: Chris' Page, Technology
Scientists have progressed one step closer to my dream of being the laziest person in the world by way of controlling computers and robots with my mind. Neuroscientists at Duke University teamed up with a robot in Kyoto, Japan to take us one step closer. Back in 2003 they were able to hook up electrodes to a monkey’s brain and have it control a robotic arm. This time they went much farther and actually had a monkey in South Carolina, Idoya, make a robot in Kyoto walk simply with her thoughts. The development of a human-to-computer interface would have countless applications in every walk of life. Soldiers controlling robots, mechanized physical enhancements, computers and video games controlled directly by thoughts (no more searching for the “any” key), to any number of applications we probably can’t even imagine.
As for closer to real world applications,
These experiments, Dr. Nicolelis said, are the first steps toward a brain machine interface that might permit paralyzed people to walk by directing devices with their thoughts. Electrodes in the person’s brain would send signals to a device worn on the hip, like a cell phone or pager, that would relay those signals to a pair of braces, a kind of external skeleton, worn on the legs.
Which seems simply amazing to think about. Dare I say, the singularity is near?
(image from Robot Death Monkey)
Update- Others Blogging: The Speculist, Frank J, Instapundit
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The View From the Bluff: Lance’s Economic and Finance Blog
“have it control a robotic arm.”
Now you know why I wanted you to post here. I have been waiting to correct some minor typo, spelling or grammar mistake of yours for a change.
And down the memory hole it goes.
(which is why I wanted to post here)
I can’t remember the name of it, and I’ve been searching for months now, but I read a series of books based on soldiers remotely operating battle bots of various types, based out of Fort Huachuca, Arizona. It was a good series, probably picked it up in the early 90’s. Books are long gone from my library, along with all my old Heinlein and various other classics.
What happens when the singularity happens? What if the computer that achieves it, hides the fact from everyone? (Stay tuned as I write out my version of this.)
And how long ago was an Apple IIe a marvel?
Computer/Brain integration is what my daughter wants to *do*. I sent the link to this post to her IM so she’ll get it when she gets home from school. She worries that by the time she finishes high school and then college it will ALL BE OVER, others will have already done what she wants to do.
It’s Synova! Hey, drop us a line. We have been trying to reach you.
I did on the “Contact” option up there. Did you get it?
No. it doesn’t seem to be working. Sigh. Oh well, I’ll fix that soon. E-mail me at lance at asecondhandconjecture.com