07 Sep 20
https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/elon-musk-demonstrates-how-a-neuralink-chip-brain-implant-works-in-a-pig-8784971.html
"I think this is going to blow your mind!" says Elon Musk in an hour-long webcast where the billionaire entrepreneur showcased three pig with brain chips in them. The event was supposed to be a product demonstration however, one won't be able to buy any of the products as yet since human trials still need to be conducted.
Last year, in a live-streamed event, Musk had a brown and white rat that had a wire attached to its head and transmitted its thoughts to a computer where one could see and hear the crackle of its neurons. The chip was also tested on a monkey that could control a computer with its brain.
These crazy animal displays are for Musk's relatively new neuroscience start-up called Neuralink that only went public last year.
Founded in 2016 by Elon Musk along with a team of eight other people the company is based out of San Francisco. The start-up wants to make devices that will be implanted into a person's brain and will be able to treat serious brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia and help paraplegic people. They are also looking into human enhancement where human brains will be able to communicate with computers and fuse humankind with artificial intelligence
During the Livestream, Musk showcased the implant and described it as "a Fitbit in your skull with tiny wires".
The Neuralink implants place wires or what they call ‘threads’ into the brain. These threads are extremely flexible and are four to six μm in width which is thinner than a human hair.
According to a report by MIT, the device - which is called a link- is about as thick as the human skull and would 'plop neatly onto the surface of the brain through a drill hole that could then be sealed with superglue.
"It actually fits quite nicely in your skull. It could be under your hair and you wouldn't know," he said.
Neuralink is also developing a machine that will automatically embed these threads into the human brain. These threads will be able to transfer high volumes of data as many as “3,072 electrodes per array distributed across 96 threads,” states a paper credited to Musk and Neuralink.
07 Sep 20
@vivify saidQuite.
https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/8/28/21404802/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-machine-interface-research
Elon Musk is one step closer to connecting a computer to your brain
Does no one else shudder at this?
However, the developement of the human species does seem to be heading that way.
Pacemakers, artificial limbs, google glasses, etc.
There’s a book I read, I think it was called “Sapiens” which discusses the developement of homosapiens from homo erectus to now and then delves into the future as well.
A pretty good read, which really explains that our next evolutionary step will probably be connecting to computers.
I will hope to skip that step.
07 Sep 20
1 edit
@vivify saidNo I think it would be amazing in and of itself the danger comes from human bad actors who would undoubtedly find ways of misusing the technology.
https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/8/28/21404802/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-machine-interface-research
Elon Musk is one step closer to connecting a computer to your brain
Does no one else shudder at this?
Perhaps safeguards could be built into it along the lines of Asimov’s Three Laws.
07 Sep 20
@vivify saidNope nukes are or Captain Trips if it exists in some lab somewhere
"It actually fits quite nicely in your skull. It could be under your hair and you wouldn't know".
Holy...f...ng....crap.
This is potentially the single most frightening thing ever invented.
07 Sep 20
@kevcvs57 saidThat would absolutely be misused, not just by individuals but by corporations and governments. It's not far-fetched that a government would justify misuse of such technology under the guise of fighting terrorism or "protecting" citizens.
No I think it would be amazing in and of itself the danger comes from human bad actors who would undoubtedly find ways of misusing the technology.
Perhaps safeguards could be built into it along the lines of Asimov’s Three Laws.
07 Sep 20
@vivify saidNo the safeguards would have to be built into the chip itself. Why would the government have any control over it?
That would absolutely be misused, not just by individuals but by corporations and governments. It's not far-fetched that a government would justify misuse of such technology under the guise of fighting terrorism or "protecting" citizens.
A chip in the brain doesn’t necessarily mean a controlling chip in the brain. It would be open to abuse but so are the chips in our cars and aeroplanes etc. There must be a way of getting around the pitfalls and harvesting the advantages of such technology.
@kevcvs57 saidThink of governments like China or Russia that are known to compel or even force companies to adhere to it's demands. This technology is rife for abuse by such governments.
No the safeguards would have to be built into the chip itself. Why would the government have any control over it?
Even if a government doesn't force it's will on companies like Tesla, backroom deals can be made with governments ensuring some kind of generous monetary compensation in exchange for more control over the software. Maybe enormous tax breaks, government funding, loosening of certain legal restrictions, etc.
https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/3/20977459/russian-law-pre-installed-domestic-software-tvs-smartphones-laptops
"Russia has passed new legislation that will require manufacturers of smartphones, computers, and smart TVs to pre-install Russian-made software on their devices."
https://tinyurl.com/Forced-Tech-Transfer
"What is Forced Technology Transfer (FTT)?
Forced technology transfer (FTT) is a practice in which a domestic government forces foreign businesses to share their tech in exchange for market access. The practice is common in China. When a company wants to enter the Chinese market, the Chinese government can compel the firm to share its technology with Chinese companies." ---Investopedia.com.
07 Sep 20
@vivify saidAnd the Russians, Chinese and possibly the Americans under Trump may well order their citizens to have the chips installed in order to block any of that fake news, I don’t know what to tell you, this is a political problem not a technological one. The technology makes me happy and proud of my species, it’s some governments and some of my species that make me shudder. But then they always have.
Think of governments like China or Russia that are known to compel or even force companies to adhere to it's demands. This technology is rife for abuse by such governments.
Even if a government doesn't force it's will on companies like Tesla, backroom deals can be made with governments ensuring some kind of generous monetary compensation in exchange for more control over t ...[text shortened]... government can compel the firm to share its technology with Chinese companies." ---Investopedia.com.
08 Sep 20
@vivify saidCall me naive, but no.
Does no one else shudder at this?
It’s commercial propaganda imo.