Electricity + Control October 2017

COMMENT

ON THE COVER

Linking the human brain to the Internet

R ecently I learned that some local re- search had ‘gone viral’ on social me- dia. Frankly, it is really encouraging when good stuff goes viral – rather than the non- sense that generally seems to be sprayed all over the ‘subway walls’ of modern so- ciety’s social media. The work in question relates to the linking of the human brain – in real time – to the Internet, which is genuinely intriguing. Let us reflect for a moment on what we al- ready know. We can certainly measure the electromag- netic environment surrounding the brain; this has been used to do some remarka- ble things. We can measure the change in potential across the head as you shift the eyes from side to side (for instance). Controlling simple switches, managing a computer cursor – and even playing games with the mind alone – can be done. In fact, I still find it remarkable to watch someone in complete control of a computer – with no physical contact whatsoever. I am also aware that, by monitoring the electric impulses in the nervous system, you can transmit those to (even!) another person – and effectively bridge an ‘electrical’ system in the body. Incredible.These devel- opments pose several challenges; some are ethical in nature and founded in the medical discipline; others point to a future that may be different to what we imagine. As we have focused on automating and controlling processes, we wonder if there is a place for humans in the working en- vironment as machines; and, would it be good to automate all activities that pose risks to humans?

But, is there not an emerging place for the human intellect – deployed in ways we have never imagined – to engage with the world? Virtual reality is being used in a variety of ap- plications – including teaching and learning, and most recently I have noted its use in the study of fossils and early humanity. To what extent could there emerge elements of fu- ture human endeavour where it is our own brains that are doing the hard lifting without any physical contract whatsoever? The concept of remotely sensing the ‘real’ environment (such as in remote medicine) where the surgeon needs to feel the sys- tems with which he is engaging – even though it be 1 000 km away – is one thing. But imagine an environment where the link is purely based on the interaction with the brain? I have little doubt that the integration of in- telligent systems with the human brain (and no longer just the body) will be a rapidly growing area of research and development – much of it frightening, but equally exciting. The challenge we face is understanding how profoundly this will affect the world – and our role in it.

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