The unification of man with the machine is a recurring theme in science fiction and transhumanism. Over the past few years, the development of technologies underlying human-machine interfaces has shown that this subject is now a reality. The ultimate evolution of this concept would be a fusion of the human brain with the cloud , a universal virtual space where everyone's thoughts could interconnect. A scenario which, according to an international team of researchers, could materialize in just a few decades
In a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience , exploring what they call the “human brain / cloud interface,” researchers explain the technological underpinnings of what such a future system could be and also address the obstacles that we face. will have to overcome before this sci-fi dream comes true.
The team, led by author and nanotechnology researcher Robert Freitas Jr, of the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing in California, essentially suggests that a brain / cloud interface (B / CI) is made possible by impending advances in the field of nanorobotics.
Brain-to-Brain Interface (BTBI) for the transfer of information between human subjects. The subject of the transmitter is shown on the left, where the activity of the sensorimotor cortex was recorded using electrodes (EEG). The transmitter performed an imagery-based binary motor task: foot imaging (bit value 0) versus hand imaging (bit value 1). The subject of the receiver is shown on the right. The TMS coil was positioned differently on the visual cortex for the 1 and 0 bit values and either did or did not evoke phosphenes (flashes of light), respectively. An Internet link was used for this brain-to-brain communication.
Nanobots should one day benefit humans and the planet, in all kinds of ways, but a particular field of nanorobotics will have to be explored further in order to be able to achieve B / CI: neural nanorobotics.
Artist's impression of an endoneurobot (endoneural robot). The grooves and orifices could facilitate the propulsion in the neurons. Extendable tendrils could be projected from a number of these holes to allow stable anchoring and precise positioning after anchoring. - Nanoapps Medical, Inc.
" These devices would navigate the human vascular system, cross the blood-brain barrier and position themselves precisely between, or even in, brain cells, " says Freitas. " They would then wirelessly transmit the encoded information to and from a cloud-based supercomputer network for real-time monitoring of brain condition and data extraction ."
Last year, scientists revealed a three-way brain connection technology called BrainNet, which allowed three people to share their thoughts and even play a game together via the cloud, using only their minds.
Artist views of gliabots (glial robots), which would automatically migrate to glial cells and position themselves intracellularly at the most appropriate intra-glial regions to perform complementary B / CI operations. Nanoapps Medical, Inc
" BrainNet used electrical signals recorded in the skulls of 'senders' and magnetic stimulation in the skulls of 'receivers', which made it possible to perform cooperative tasks, " says Nuno Martins, nanotechnology researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory . " With the advancement of neural nanorobots, we envision the future creation of 'super-brains' capable of harnessing the thoughts and thinking power of many humans and machines in real time ."
Artist's impression of synaptobots (synaptic robots). Piezo-oscillating "fins" associated with a central ovoid orifice could allow continuous flow propulsion. In one configuration, expandable / retractable ultrasensitive cuff nanosensors can externally encircle synaptic voids to monitor neurotransmitter trafficking.
According to Martins, these types of brain connectivity technologies - dreamed up by various visionaries like Ray Kurzweil and tech entrepreneurs like Elon Musk (and his company Neuralink) - could one day revolutionize democracy and unite men beyond. cultural cleavages. However, scientists still have a very long way to go before arriving at such a technology.
Artist's impression of a wireless nanotransmitter that can interconnect to form a uniformly distributed mesh network, following self-integration at the periphery of the brain, on or inside the skull.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle will be finding ways to safely integrate neural nanobots into human brain tissue, and in a way that allows these little helpers to transmit massive amounts of data generated and relayed by supercomputers into our gray matter, without creating a bottleneck effect.
“ This challenge is not only to find the necessary bandwidth for the global transmission of data, but also to enable the exchange of data with neurons via tiny devices embedded in the back of the brain,