Proposal: The Power of Our Brains

What is a human’s most valuable asset? The brain is surely what makes the human race unique and the engine that keeps the process of evolution going. With the recent advances in artificial intelligence, it is debatable whether the supercomputers that we are building will rule us.

The brain computer interfaces (BCI) are somehow believed to be restricted to cyberpunk science fiction. However, there have been several innovations in the field. Personally, as we become more and more worried about who is in charge, I believe BCI should be considered as a prospective solution.

At this point in my research, I have discovered that BCI could make a huge impact in the lives of disabled people. There are known cases when motor impaired persons were able to communicate through their thoughts. Additionally, the technology could bring the online gaming to a new level. What is more intriguing is whether we can establish a connection from our brains to the Internet. This would mean that we could constantly access information just by using our thoughts.

Nevertheless, there are numerous implications that need to be considered. First, surgery is required in order to become fully immersed into the machine. Currently, most research experiments have been done by placing electrodes on one’s head but to have a permanent link to the machine, a chip has to be inserted into the brain. The cost and the dangers of brain surgery are viable reasons for people to be against BCI. Moreover, many might interpret the merge of humans and machines as another way of playing God.

Will we witness an upgrade of our species or our own destruction? The BCI definitely has the potential to revolutionize our worlds. So, my research will focus on whether this technology will reach a large audience in the near future.

60 Minutes CBS. Brain Power. Web. http://tinyurl.com/ma7pr2. 14 Mar.2011

This video introduces people who are communicating through BCI, and an experiment led on a monkey that offers a better idea of how BCI works and how it might develop.

Stix, Gary. "Jacking into the Brain." Scientific American 299.5 (2008): 56-61. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Mar. 2011.

The article raises questions on the future of the merging between computers and human brains. While it is more of a thought provoking piece of writing, the article was very useful as it guided my initial research.

Stibel, Jeffrey M. Wired for thought: how the brain is shaping the future of the Internet. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. 2009. Print.

Stibel considers that the brain will shape the future form of the Internet and he offers a complete vision of a new connected world. The book is how I learnt about BrainGate, a device that once implanted into the mind allows us to control electronics.

Mel Slater, et al. "Human-Computer Interface Issues in Controlling Virtual Reality With Brain-Computer Interface." Human-Computer Interaction 25.1 (2010): 67-94. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Mar. 2011.

The paper investigates how a BCI works in a virtual rituality in order to understand how it might behave in a real life scenario. It provides useful insight into how BCI functions.

Wolpaw, Jonathan R. "Brain-Computer Interface Research Comes of Age: Traditional Assumptions Meet Emerging Realities." Journal of Motor Behavior 42.6 (2010): 351-353. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Mar. 2011.

This article focuses on how BCI could improve the lives of motor disabled persons. It is useful as it explains why mind reading would not be possible through the interface.

Tucker, Patrick. "Prospects for Brain-- Computer Interfacing." Futurist 44.5 (2010): 7-9. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Mar. 2011.

The article presents how a team of students was able to control a robot through a BCI. It also describes future applications of the BCI such as video-games, navigation systems, and neurotic therapy.