recently neuralink successfully implanted a brain computer interface chip into its first human patient this marks a significant breakthrough in the field of Medical Science and Technology enabling individuals with severe physical disabilities to operate digital devices using their thoughts but the broader applications of neural linkx technology extend beyond Medical Science to prevent the Potential Threat of an all powerful AI in the future Elon Musk aims to establish a symbiotic connection betw
een the human brain and machines however this AI human symbiosis presents its own real risks and they are upon us now brain computer interfaces or bcis are technologies that link our brains directly to computers or an external device and establish a direct communication pathway between them their primary goal is to enable bir directional communication allowing the brain to send signals to the device and vice versa these interfaces can can take various forms ranging from invasive implants to non-
invasive external devices bcis have been around since the 1970s initially they were quite basic and were tested on animals like cats and monkeys to establish communication Pathways advances in machine learning paved way for more sophisticated bcis that were smaller and easier to use these could control complex devices like robotic Limbs and wheelchairs brain computer interface have already demonstrated success in allowing paralyzed patients to control robotic arms and even play video games throu
gh neuros signals in 2004 Matthew Nagel became the first person to receive a brain implant to restore functionality loss due to paralysis a 96 electrode Utah array was placed on the surface of Nagel's brain it enabled him to move a cursor check email adjust the volume or channel on a TV and control a robotic limb soon Nagel was playing pong using only his mind neuralink was founded in 2016 by Elon Musk with the ambitious vision of advancing neural interface technology envisioning a future where
human brains seamlessly interface with artificial intelligence neurolinks technology represents the next wave of brain computer interfaces featuring numerous electrodes for enhanced precision and better compatibility with the body the company has developed ultra thin highly flexible threads that can be implanted into a brain via a specialized robot each thread contains multiple electrodes which are used to record neural activity these threads could read signals from a paralyzed patient's brain a
nd transmit that data to a phone or computer enabling the patient to control it with just his thoughts the recent implant called N1 is a small coin sized device placed under the skull to observe and stimulate brain activity the surgical procedure involves a robot specifically created by neuralink for minimally invasive insertion and one implant is a part of neuralink prime study a medical device trail that evaluates the safety and effectiveness of neural Link's first brain computer interface the
implant records neural activity through over 1,000 electrodes distributed across 64 threads it works by recording and decoding neural signals from the brain and then transmitting data to an external device enabling individuals to interact with these devices through their thoughts initial results have revealed promising neuron Spike detection which refers to the electrical activity of brain cells Elon Musk shared that the patient after the implant could control a computer mouse just by thinking
the first product has been named telepathy by musk the primary objective of neuralink brain chip is to address neurological conditions such as epilepsy or spinal cord injuries and its initial success ESS holds the potential to transform the lives of those with sensory or motor deficits however the Technology's potential extends Beyond medical applications by creating a direct communication Channel between the brain and computers neuralink is Paving the way for achieving symbiotic relationship be
tween humans and artificial intelligence musk's interest in merging human brains with AI through neuralink is driven by a significant concern the fear that AI could potentially take control of the world this worry is shared by many Tech leaders who fear the creation of machines that surpass human intelligence and are capable of overpowering humanity in March last year musk and others signed an open letter advocating for a six-month pause in developing AI systems more powerful than open ai's gp4
musk foresees a future where highly Advanced AI systems communicating at an astonishing trillion bits per second could perceive humans who communicate at 39 bits per second second as obsolete to address this musk proposes enhancing human capabilities to match those of AI particularly in terms of thinking and communicating at AI speeds effectively merging in a symbiotic way with uh digital intelligence revolves around eliminating the io constraint musk subsession with bandwidth the rate at which
computers extract information from the brain is driving the develop of neurolink the neuralink device is outfitted with over 1,000 electrodes that can pick up signals from neurons the more electrodes present the broader the scope of neurons that can be monitored resulting in more comprehensive data and closer we can get to those neurons the higher quality the data will be a neuralink device does get very close to the neurons the procedure for implanting the device involves drilling a hole in the
skull and penetrating the brain making the process massively intrusive and unsafe but there are less Extreme Ways to do this other companies are already proving it many companies like synchron Black Rock neurotech and kernel are also working on brain computer interfaces for instance synchron's implant is described as minimally invasive synchron's approach is to bypass full brain surgery by using blood vessels to implant electrodes in the brain during an interview musk himself stated that brain
computer interface might not necessarily require open brain surgery some sort of interface directly with your cortical neurons particularly but doesn't that imply surgical insertion not necessarily you could go through the veins and arteries because that that provides a complete uh roadway to um all of your neurons your neurons even one of its research teams allegedly explored the option and demonstrated that it was feasible but neuralink instead chose to go with a more invasive surgical robot t
hat implants threads directly into to the brain why opt for something more invasive than necessary well the main reason was the company's obsession with maximizing bandwidth because that serves musk's goal of creating a generalized BCI that lets humans merge with AI newer links technology prompts various ethical and safety concerns raising questions about the societal impact and the essence of humanity in the face of integrating technology with the human body musk's pursuit of high bandwidth imp
lants raises the potential for unprecedented access to people's thoughts giving rise to distopian scenarios our brains represent the last Bastion of privacy holding our personal identity and most intimate thoughts and if our brains aren't ours to control then what is with several companies working on technology that plugs into human brains capable of decoding our thoughts there's a risk of diminishing mental privacy and intens ifying authoritarian surveillance it's crucial for us to anticipate a
nd get ready for what's coming imagine a scenario where your government employs bcis for surveillance granting authorities the ability to intrude into your mental state without your consent in China the government is already collecting data from certain workers brains using caps that skin brain waves to detect emotional states meanwhile in the US the military is exploring neurot Technologies to enhance soldiers Fitness for Duty and some police departments around the world are exploring brain fin
gerprinting technology which detects responses in our brains when we encounter familiar stimuli concerns also include the potential vulnerability of devices like neuralink to hacking imagine using one and a malicious actor intercepts the connection altering the signals sent to your brain this scenario is referred to as brain jacking neuralink despite its promising potential has faced many criticisms and controversies over lack of transparency and the speed at which it is moving forward with clin
ical trials it has also drawn criticism over its animal testing practices and has faced investigations for mistreatment of lab animals many experts and former employees have alleged that the company pursued an unnecessarily invasive approach to brain implants that can damage the brain and apparently has done so in many animal test subjects the company has also been accused of rushing and botching surgery to get FDA approval quickly to start human trials infection bleeding device malfunction long
-term viability of the implants and the potential rejection by the body raised concerns about patient welfare in 2022 a company named second site Medical Products showed the risks second site made retinal implants for eyes to help people with blindness when the company went out of business over 350 patients worldwide were left without dated implants and there was no way to remove them neuralink will need to be prepared to provide long-term support to patients and make sure the devices don't stop
working its recent success in N1 implant marks a crucial moment in the evolution of brain computer interfaces the vast potential of this technology to revolutionize medical treatment enhance human capabilities and unlock new avenues in communication is significant while the current scenario focuses on the Technology's Medical applications the futuristic vision is widespread integration into everyday life transforming the way we interact with technology however a cautious and ethical approach is
essential to ensure the responsible evolution of brain machine interfaces it calls for a commitment to long-term planning patient support and careful communication to avoid unintended consequences and setbacks in neurotechnology research drawing parallels with past medical errors the worst scenario for neurotechnology ology research would be a repeat of Walter Freeman's disastrous prefrontal lobotomy experiments in the 1940s and 50s causing catastrophic consequences for patients and significant
ly setting back research for Generations developers of these Technologies must not be allowed to rush through trials they have a responsibility to be transparent about the safety and efficiency of their devices and openly share information so people can make well-informed decisions as we continue to blur the lines between the biological and the artificial the future holds promises and possibilities that demand caution deep consideration and thoughtful exploration and that even if someone has nev
er had Vision ever like they were born blind we believe they can they can we can still restore Vision make sure to give a like And subscribe to support our Channel take care and see you in the next one
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