The human brain is the most advanced biological processing system on the planet.
There are an estimated 86 billion neurons in the human brain.
Neurons connect to other neurons to form a network that can communicate
with one another through synapses using chemical signals called neurotransmitters.
Moreover, there's an estimated 10,000 such connections between neurons
making up a collection of around 1 quadrillion synaptic connections.
This is what allows our brain to store up to 1,000 terabytes of memory.
So everything we ever experience is just a result of these neurons
communicating with each other through electrical signals.
But what if we could alter or enhance these neuron connections in our brain?
Would we develop super abilities?
Or perhaps even achieve immortality by downloading our brain into a computer?
This may sound like science fiction, but it could become a reality sooner than we think.
Elon Musk and other developers at the neural tech startup,
Neuralink, believe that their brain-machine interfaces could help make this a reality.
So let’s take a look at what Elon Musk and Company plan to do with
their latest brain-machine Interface technology.
But before we begin, be sure to subscribe to our channel for more content!
Biological information processing in the brain
is a complex non-linear system which is based on electrochemistry in and around the neuron.
Some outside stimulus, such as a sensory cell or another neuron,
changes the electrochemical properties of the area around a neuron,
generating an electrical depolarization called an “action potential”.
The action potential ripples from the first neuron to other
neurons that it shares synaptic connections with.
This chain reaction carries the information into the brain
where it is sorted into the area that processes that specific type of information.
Then the processed information is used for multiple purposes such as to make memories
or react immediately.
However, what happens when something in our brain goes wrong?
Malfunctioning neural networks, imbalances in levels of functioning between areas of the brain,
or loss of neurons are all causes of psychiatric and neurological disease.
Treating this dysfunction, especially when severe,
is a massive challenge for psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists.
But this is exactly where the Brain-Machine Interfaces come in.
On July 16th, 2019,
Elon Musk and others live-streamed a press release detailing their work.
Since the neurons in our brains communicate using electrical signals, according to Neuralink,
these signals could easily be sent and received using a computer chip.
So Elon Musk unveiled his implantable brain chip version 0.9 designed to
be directly implanted in the brain using a surgical robot.
According to Elon Musk, the surgical procedure is extremely quick and easy
and does not even require big incisions or even general anesthesia.
The Nuralink brain chip is directly connected to the neurons in the brain using tiny microscopic
wires or electrodes about the size of 1/20th the width of a human hair.
Moreover, Musk claims that it is a safe procedure
since the surgical robot uses images of the brain and avoids damaging any major veins or arteries.
So what can this brain chip actually help us with?
The idea of the Neuralink brain chip implant is to enhance the way our brain functions work.
For example, this brain chip will allow us to interact with a higher number of
neurons in our brain than we naturally can.
This could have many applications in the medical field.
It could be extremely useful in helping patients with Parkinson’s disease,
schizophrenia, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder just to name a few.
Eventually, the goal of the company is to allow the control over devices such
as smartphones and keyboards using just our brain.
In general, this could be used to enhance our capabilities,
revolutionizing the way we interact with technology today.
According to Elon Musk, artificial intelligence or A.I.
could possibly surpass the human race in the near future.
So, to be able to compete with advanced artificial intelligence,
we humans must enhance ourselves by combining biological and mechanical parts.
He predicts that his brain chip may be capable of superhuman feats in the future.
For instance, we may have access to superhuman vision,
being able to detect more than just the visible spectrum of light.
Or even have the ability to use telepathy and replay old memories like a movie.
And it doesn’t just stop there.
This technology even has the potential to make us immortal by uploading our brain or consciousness
into a computer or any other body or device we please.
But of course, these types of advancements are far in the future.
For now, the Neuralink team has been able to successfully
implant their brain chip into 3 different pigs.
One of the pigs named Gertrude was brought out during the demo
with a chip implanted in her brain for 2 months.
Musk demonstrated a live reading of the neurons in the pig's brain
sending and receiving messages from the snout.
So, what you're, th- the beeps you're hearing are real-time signals
from the Nuralink in Gertrude's head.
So, this Nuralink,
connects to neurons that are in her snout.
So, whenever she snuffles around
and touches something with her snout,
ah, that sends out,
ah,
neural spikes, which are detected, here.
Um, and so, on the screen,
um, you can see, ah, ea-each Lil, the spikes from the 1024 electrodes,
and, and then if you, if she, yeah, she shuffles around, touches her snout on the ground,
or you kind of feed her some food, pigs love food.
Um, then, ah yo-you can see, the neurons, um,
will fire much more than, when you are not touching the snout.
And, ah, that's what's making th-the beeping sound.
Moreover, the chip in Gertrude’s brain also predicted her movements
based on her brain activity
displaying electrodes firing and stimulating neurons in various brain regions.
Not only pigs but Elon Musk also revealed during the Neuralink press conference,
information concerning their recent primate studies.
He stated:
You know monkey has been able to control,
the computer with his brain.
Just, yeah!
Now that is pretty interesting as it shows a massive potential
for the use of this technology in the future.
But what are the philosophical implications of all of this?
Imagine having a brain similar to the google
search engine with access to all information at your fingertips.
How will this affect our future generations in terms of self-learning and self-development?
And If we are able to download and upload data into and out of our brains
and merge ourselves with computers,
will we still be considered humans?
Well, those are some of the questions worth pondering!
And that brings us to the end of this video!
Will you be getting a brain implant if and when it is ready for human trials?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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Until then, we’ll see you in the next one!