Using Neuralink to learn French, play Counterstrike, win on the battlefield, and be assimilated
Marco van Hurne
I build AI companies | Data Science Strategy | Data Governance | Certified AI Compliance Officer | The Future Group | Beyond the Cloud | Author of the Machine Learning Book of Knowledge
If you read TTS, you will have heard of Neuralink, the brain to machine interface.
When I first read about research in that area it sounded quite scary to me, because it is a rather invasive methode in comparison to the more moderate, but clunkier looking Neurable, and others which I have mentioned down below, which just sit on your head.
But the cool thing is that it works!
The procedure to get one is not the easiest one.
Here is a summary of what I learned:
"The implantation of a the Neuralink (a.k.a. the Link) involves a realy sophisticaed surgical procedure that relies on robotic surgery for precision".
Gloops !
😰
And there is more....
Before we start!
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The surgical procedure
The process begins with a small incision in the scalp, followed by the removal of a tiny portion of the skull the size of a coin. This creates space for the Neuralink device, which is designed to sit snug into the skull so you won't see a noticeable bulge or feel any discomfort.
Have you ever watched the Star Trek episode in which Enterprise's captain Jean Luc Picard was turned into one of the Borg (that is not a Swedish dish)?
Captain Picard becomes Locutus of Borg:
This is our future, people.
Continuing with the Neuralink device...
It is a small coin-sized chip that is connected to ultra-thin, flexible threads. These threads are much thinner than a human hair and are engineered to penetrate the brain’s outer surface (the cortex).
Each thread is embedded with electrodes that detect and record electrical signals from our own neurons. The challenge lies in placing these teensy weensy threads accurately without damaging any blood vessels.
Now that is why the Neuralink people decided to use a custom-built robotic surgeon
This little white beauty operates with a level of accuracy that humans wouldn't ever be able to have.
The sleek looking surgical robot below even won a design award:
Now, once the threads are implanted, they are connected to the Neuralink chip. This chip is positioned in the space where the small section of the skull was removed. The chip processes the neural signals which are captured by the electrodes and it transmits them wirelessly to a device for interpretation and processing commands.
Brrrrr. Yet cool!
🩻
If you wish to see the details of the procedure, just have a wee peek at the video below:
It doesn't work right off the bat though. The patient undergoes a period of testing and calibration after the surgery. That is basically for testing if the doohickey is installed correctly and if it processes the signals like it should, and also to train the AI system.
The victim is working with the device to it, so that it can accurately interpret the patient's unique brain signals. The patient has to do some exercises and imagine specific actions, like moving a cursor or clicking a mouse. And all of that helps the Neuralink system learn how to decode these neural signals!
Elon Musk, loved by all, suggested once, that in the future, the procedure could take less than an hour and might not even require general anesthesia. Just think of a LASIK eye surgery procedure as a comparison.
Well, before that may be put into practise, the patients need to survice for a few decades I would hope.
The first Neuralink patient
Noland Arbaugh is Neuralink's first human test subject.
And what a story this guy has.
In 2016, at a a summer camp, he had an accident which left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. But now he has got a Neuralink implant he even had given a name: “Eve.”
After seven months into his personal Jean Luc'esque sci-fi adventure, this guy Noland is pretty pumped about his progress.
“I’m having a blast,” he said in an interview.
And why wouldn’t he be?
With his “Eve” in his brain, he is busy learning French and Japanese, working on his handwriting by imagining he’s holding a pencil, and even brushing up on his math.
Who needs Duolingo when you’ve got a brain chip?
😂
Now, as a former scientist, I am always curious to know HOW it actually works this way..
Here's how it works
With his "Eve" implant, Noland is essentially using his brain as both the input and output device.
The Neuralink implant detects neural activity associated with specific thoughts or imagined actions and translates these signals into digital commands.
When Noland imagines that he is writing with a pencil, the Neuralink device picks up on the brain signals generated by that mental image.
The chip processes these signals and converts them into digital text or maybe even keystrokes on a computer. Now this allows him to practice handwriting without actually moving his hand because his brain is doing all the work.
Now, when it comes to learning French and Japanese, the implant does not magically upload languages into his brain like a sci-fi movie.
Bummer....
The device assists in a more interactive and intensive learning.
His brain signals are becoming the equivalent of moving a cursor, clicking, or typing.
This is what Noland is doing when he is practicing language apps or programs that help him learn. It is a hands-free and thought-driven interface.
Whithout it you would type out vocabulary or take lessons with a keyboard or mouse, but with his "Eve" he is making selections and input answers through thought alone.
And as for math, he is using the implant to work through problems in quite a similar way. He just thinkgs about the equations or numbers. The implant picks up the signals that are corresponding to these thoughts.
So basically, a Duolingo and other study methods, they require a physical interaction with a screen, a mouse, and akeyboard. But Neuralink cuts out the middleman: your hands, and eyes.
The brain chip is as a link between thought and action on a digital platform. It turns your mind into both a controller and a learner, revolutionizing how we interact with technology and education.
Neuralink's second patient
Neuralink's second patient, Alex, has also been making headlines. But for quite different reasons altoghether.
The day after his surgery, Alex was already showing off. It took him less than five minutes to control a computer cursor using just his brain signals.
See yourself sitting down at your desk and instead of using your mouse, you are just thinking your way through your emails.
And Alex went way beyond that. He went on to play Counter-Strike 2.
Brilliant !
So, if you’re getting outplayed online, there’s a chance it might be Alex, running and gunning with but his mind.
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Alex was an automotive technician before his spinal cord injury.
And now, he is learning to use Fusion 360 (CAD software) with his implant.
Not only did he learn it, but he also designed and 3D printed a custom mount for his Neuralink charger. A few years ago, he was fixing cars, and now he's designing tech with his brain.
Talk about a career change.
As usual, the internet had some thoughts.
There were reactions ranging from excitement to a little bit of panic.
Even Yann LeCun, Meta’s Chief Scientist, could not even resist a jab.
He asked if there will be more Neuralinked people or more Tesla robotaxis in five years.
Classic Twitter humor.
Some folks called Musk’s venture “dystopian”. Others were throwing around phrases around like “mark of the beast” and “transhumanist agenda”.
And, of course, there is my favorite meme. Because the internet never misses a chance to make a Star Trek Borg joke.
There is competition though
Even though Neuralink was the first who made it to human trials, it already has strong competition brain-machine interface field.
There are a few companies and research institutions advancing with their own unique technologies.
One of the closest competitors is Synchron. They have developed the "Stentrode".
That is a neural implant that does not require invasive brain surgery
It is inserted through the blood vessels instead. Synchron is led by Dr. Thomas Oxley, and it has already started human trials and demonstrated that patients can control digital devices like texting apps, with their thoughts.
Here's an image of this device. I am glad it is not inserted in the brain!
Next to Neuralink and Synchron, you have Blackrock Neurotech with their "NeuroPort Array".
The cool thing about this divice is that it intends to help paralyzed patients with controlling robotic arms using thought-driven computer interfaces.
The field also includes BrainGate. And that is a renowned research consortium with institutions like Brown and Stanford University.
The team is led by Dr. Leigh Hochberg, and he has been a pioneer in BMIs.
Similar to the NeuroPort, and the BrainGate, he has developed a system that allow people with motor impairments to interact with computers and robotic limbs through brain signals.
The rest in this field includes Paradromics which developes high-data-rate neural interfaces, Kernel and Neurable, take a different approach by focusing on non-invasive brain interfaces
But this device really needs to shrink a bit to make it more practical.
Meta's Reality Labs is also exploring the potential of brain-computer interfaces. And also through non-invasive means.
But their research focuses on wristbands that decode neural signals from hand muscle movements to interact with augmented and virtual reality systems.
Umm..... the use?
This technology will make controlling AR/VR systems as easy as thinking about moving your hand.
This kinda fits snugly into Meta's Quest and metaverse former strategy (though I still find it a waste to disbandon a solid strategy for an AI fling). Just think of walking in a VR world or controlling digital interfaces without using a controller or even having to move your mouse.
Where this kind of technology could be particularly useful is in professional or even everyday scenarios where hands-free control could work better. Just think of augmenting surgeons as an intermediate between where we are now, and a 100% robotical surgeon.
A surgeon uses digital interfaces during the operations without even touching a thing, or think people with mobility impairments that could interact with technology in a more natural way.
I think the developments from Meta, Paradromics , Kernel and Neurable is a more accessible bridge between brain signals and digital interactions, offering an alternative approach to direct neural implants.
New research in this field
Numerous university and research groups are also advancing BMI technology.
And each of them is focusing on different kinds of specialized applications.
The University of California, San Francisco is working on speech neuroprosthetics. That is helping paralyzed patients with getting control back of their ability to communicate. Their work focuses on translating brain signals directly into speech.
Just think of a glitch in the system, turning you into a robotic Tourette's patient.
That would happen to me. For sure.
The Karolinska Institute in Sweden is working on restoring motor functions
Now, their research is centered around understanding how to rewire the brain to regain control over lost motor abilities. Think of things like moving a limb after a stroke or spinal cord injury.
Just wow!
Hive brains
Researchers at Duke Uni are working on "Brainets". These Brainets involve connecting the brains of multiple animals or humans together to share sensory and motor info.
Like a swarm of drones, but now a swarm of brains.
What would this be good for you might think?
This network of brains would be used for collaborative problem-solving
The lead researcher Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, demonstrated direct brain-to-brain communication in animals and, more recently, in humans. These nets could be used in complex problem solving.
And I was thinking also of course on the battlefield.......
If you want a glimpse of a BraiNet, or Hive Mind led military force, just watch another episode of Start Trek with Jean Luc Picard, where he picked a fight with the Borg Collective.
In their collective state, the Borg are utterly without mercy!. They are driven by one will alone: the will to conquer, and to assimilate you into their collective.
They are beyond redemption, beyond reason.
Just watch this video.....
And the last one I would like to touch upon is he University of Tübingen's Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology in Germany.
They are focusing on developing non-invasive BMIs for individuals with locked-in syndrome.
That is a condition where a person is fully conscious but unable to move or communicate due to paralysis.
Their research involves using electroencephalography (that is reading brain waves through EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS in short). This way they detect brain signals associated with "yes" or "no" responses.
This technology will allow patients to communicate simple answers to questions.
If you are feeling as overwhelmed as I am, you are not alone. Just check X | fka Twitter to get an idea of what people think when they hear of these developments.
I personally am very enthusiastic how this stuff will improve impaired people's lives, but as always, these developments will find its way onto the battlefield as well.
Thank you for sticking around !
Signing off - Marco
Well, that's a wrap for today. Tomorrow, I'll have a fresh episode of TechTonic Shifts for you. If you enjoy my writing and want to support my work, feel free to buy me a coffee ♨️
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