Okay, some of you had valid points about obsolescense and other problems (like conducting an MRI scan on someone with a brain implant). So, clearly such implants would have to be removable and the plug standardized. I'm picturing a recessed cylinder in the skull, lined with medical plastic. This would keep the brain sterile/protected but still allow an implant to be inserted into it. The metallic implant could be removed for medical procedures/airport security and upgraded with anything small enough to fit in the hole. Should be good for 30 years of longevity.
There could be a couple different types of course; one standardized fitting for math coprocessors, one for multimedia, and one for a computer interface. Another benefit is avoiding having dangerous neurosurgery every time a new implant comes out.-- DIYMatt, Dec 16 2010 Standard neuro-link interface http://l.yimg.com/e...rix/matrixjacks.jpgI suspect that the general idea of a brain implant is well covered in SciFi. [Jinbish, Dec 16 2010] Neuromancer http://www.amazon.c...ibson/dp/0006480411"The" Cyberpunk novel by WIlliam Gibson [Jinbish, Dec 16 2010] Victor Borge http://www.youtube....watch?v=BcV19rylSZc(Great shout, [MB]) [Jinbish, Dec 16 2010] tDCs placements that improves math ability http://tdcsplacemen...asing-math-ability/ [beanangel, Nov 09 2016] DARPA doubles ability with tDCS http://tdcsplacemen...celerated-learning/so you are wondering, "which ability" Nature or science says "simulations" [beanangel, Nov 09 2016] ...What's an implang?
Is it a conlang designed for lesser demons or something?-- Hive_Mind, Dec 16 2010 A couple of things.
One is that an interface can only be designed using the knowledge and technology already available, and the future is unknown, so it's impossible to anticipate what kind of upgrade would be necessary. As a forty-three year old, i would probably have been given a D-sub RS232 at birth, not even an RS232C, at a very low baud rate. A baby born today would be getting a USB3, i suppose. That works at up to four Gb/s, but i think mine would be at about a forty millionth of that rate. All i'd be able to do is hook up a teleprinter to mine, but a newborn baby could manage an iPod. That's the kind of technological change which occurs over a few decades.
Another is that i still think the idea's potentially sound, maybe after the Singularity because AIs might be able to find a way round the snags, but i think it'd work better as a wireless thing than a physically exposed interface. Maybe a brain implant, but with no physical connection to the outside, since that would be a potential trauma site and risk for infection.
Finally, in a sense anything in the internal environment is a foreign body, so there needs to be some work on it. Maybe encase it in coral or bone?-- nineteenthly, Dec 16 2010 How crude.-- 8th of 7, Dec 16 2010 Shut up, 8th. If the Borg are so great, how come they have such terrible fashion sense and such terrible PR?-- Hive_Mind, Dec 16 2010 Yeah, but they did produce that Swedish pianist/comedian. He was great.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 16 2010 And we have noteworthy Lawn Tennis skills, too.
// terrible fashion sense //
Like an entity from a planet that invented "Hawaiian Shorts" has the moral high ground ....
// and such terrible PR? //
We farmed it out to an agency. We got great references, apparently they handle Blackwater, Halliburton and BP.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.-- 8th of 7, Dec 16 2010 Surely you wouldn't go wired on this? Wouldn't you go for transcranial stimulation?
And while we're about it, let's not forget Bjorn. (However, we will NEVER forgive you for Chris de.)-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 16 2010 // Chris de. //
He's nothing to do with us ...-- 8th of 7, Dec 16 2010 [DIYMatt] So, from your description, I'm picturing this as epidural, is that right?-- mouseposture, Dec 17 2010 // epidural //
More of an auto de fé, it would seem ...-- 8th of 7, Dec 17 2010 <looks up> //auto de fé//. <and is inordinately grateful to be born in this century>-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 17 2010 What is the magic and/or bad science?-- DIYMatt, Dec 19 2010 how would the input for individual brains be universalized? Each brain is unique in layout.-- WcW, Dec 19 2010 [WcW] That is probably less of a problem than you imagine. The brain-machine interface literature is extensive, and suggests that the brain adapts itself to the input device, simplifying that aspect of the problem considerably. Also "Each brain is unique in layout" is very far from being true, at that level of generality.
I do find the idea scientifically weak, though perhaps not "bad science," because it seems to assume the electrodes would be extra-dural (extremely crude, low-bandwidth channel), or else it ignores the distinction between intracortical microelectrode arrays, cortical surface micro- and macro-electrodes, epidural, extracranial, and other forms of brain stimulation and recording.
Also, there is considerable prior art. The term for this type of implant is "recording chamber" and it's very well- baked in animal research.-- mouseposture, Dec 19 2010 so a brain input device would be a viable invention. This is simply "lets apply existing standardization to a not yet existing invention." that would be not the least bit novel and further many times proposed before; of course you would use some sort of logical infrastructure for the non-wetware portion of the implant. But without the implant portion, which could hardly be described as "standardized" you cannot have a "brain port". It would be as if I proposed that we install laser cruise control on all hover cars. (existing invention pasted onto non-existing invention which has already been flogged to death)-- WcW, Dec 20 2010 I recently ordered a tDCs on ebay at $28. the [link] describes the placement for better math skills.-- beanangel, Nov 09 2016 //the [link] describes the placement for better math skills.//
Wow - one electrode on the left of the head, one on the right. That must be the product of years of research.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 09 2016 It looks painful, opening up the skull like that in order to attach the electrodes.-- pocmloc, Nov 09 2016 It stings a bit the first time you do it, yes, but after that it's not so bad.-- 8th of 7, Nov 09 2016 [mb] I added another link with an impressive DARPA graph. It is impressive! [link]
Also, the electrode placements at the link follow an EEG standard, which is a relief.-- beanangel, Nov 09 2016 // a relief //
That's right, it's a well-known fact that correct trepanning can cure headaches by letting the demons out.-- 8th of 7, Nov 09 2016 "The results they found were staggering, the snipers which were using the true tDCS had cut their learning curves in half!"
A)Oddly enough this information comes from the company making the stuff.
B)"learning curves in half!" ie they only shot themselves in one foot, not both.
C) Amazingly, they have found the only group of test subjects who exactly the same..this is the true miracle..-- not_morrison_rm, Nov 09 2016 Wow, that's an impressive DARPA graph. Color and everything ..-- normzone, Nov 09 2016 random, halfbakery