Can the human mind really be merged with a machine ? Image Credit: CC BY 2.0 Raissa Ruschel
Elon Musk's recent startup Neuralink is aiming to find a way to merge the human brain with a computer.
The ambitious endeavour is understood to be focusing initially on what is known as a "neural lace" - a technology that can be "woven" in to the brain to help enhance its functionality as well as to facilitate direct communication with nearby devices.
Brain-computer interfaces are not a new thing, however those that exist already are relatively slow and limited in what they can achieve. If Musk succeeds, it could open the door to a more seamless integration between humans and machines.
The San Francisco-based company has so far managed to raise $27 million in funding by selling stock, however Musk has stated on Twitter that the firm is not looking for outside investors.
Generally speaking, very little is known about Neuralink other than that its goal is to merge man with machine and that it is currently looking to recruit additional scientists and engineers.
Whether it will ultimately bring about a real-life version of The Matrix however remains to be seen.
I'm a bit afraid that people might not get the possibility to choose themselves, that companies will force people to wear electronic implants, for example that train companies might require all passengers to have an electronic ticket under their skin, or that companies will require their employees to wear a chip under their skin instead of an id card to pass through doors etc (there are already companies that have started with these things as an option). I think that legislation is needed to prevent this, I think that all people's bodies belong to them, not that some company should require t... [More]
Certainly an interesting concept. If one were to extrapolate upon the idea, the more one interacted with outside data, the more that technology would capture with regard to one's persona. At some point, that technology would capture sufficient personal engrams to create an alternate e-personality. The consequence could emerge as immortality in some e-form.
People should take it very seriously.  When the first human memory upgrade is released and those people have perfect recall and access to almost unlimited information you will have two choices: Upgrade and evolve with it or turn your back and shun it - either way the world, and your place in it, will be changed forever. Frightening? It certainly could be.  Inevitable? Definitely.  A playground for the rich? Absolutely - This world stands on a precipice with disruptive technologies appearing all around us.  Those who think we have a unchangeable and immortal soul could be in for a rud... [More]
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