Hello,
For our A3 project, Melissa and I investigated the Brain/Cloud Interface(B/CI) and its applications. We forecast that within the next two or three decades, scientists will find a way to merge the human mind and the cloud through neuralnanorobots. In our OER, we discuss its possible applications while also explore the risks and concerns related to this technology.
On our website, you will find the following sections:
- About us – provides some background information on the authors
- Rationale – elaborates on how B/CI and its applications might affect mobile and open learning
- Timeline – describes the main scientific discoveries leading to the B/CI
- Use case – expands on the various applications of the B/CI
- Podcast – explores the benefits, risks and concerns linked to the B/CI
- Glossary – explains the different terms associated to the B/CI
- References – gives a list of the useful resources
After viewing our A3 project, we invite you to share your thoughts, opinions and questions about the B/CI.
What an interesting topic! My first thoughts were all ‘Black Mirror’ related; if you haven’t had a chance to check out that show, you should! It’s stored in the cloud via Netflix. 😉
This does seem to be the next logical evolutionary step in how we deal with and disseminate information. Perhaps the Brain Cloud will become the new printing press, suddenly allowing the masses access to thought processes and problem solving power that was previously privileged. I suspect the same emancipatory and oppressive potential about the accessibility of this information would also come into play. Although users would be able to connect, learn, work, develop, educate etc with the ease of thought, they would also become forever connected and accessible, and significantly less protected in their privacy. I can only imagine how that might be exploited.
Perhaps some thought (pun intended) would need to go into an off switch, or a way that users could disengage with the system, or have some kind of a firewall that could control who has access to their brains.
It’s a very intriguing idea.
Suzzie
Wow Mel and Pascaline!
Your OER was very well put together, displayed Universal Design and is succinct. I really enjoyed the path!
I was also quite blown away. The idea is floated around, everywhere, in sci-fi, in pop culture, but I had no idea there has been human to human brain transmission already six years ago! Honestly, my only points of reference to really think about such a thing are sci-books, or shows like Black Mirror.
Scary world we are moving into – fascinating, but scary. There are so many benefits that this technology brings but so many downsides. To name only a couple: widening the digital divide, privacy and the extreme danger of hacks.
Hi Adrian,
“Scary” is definitely a good adjective to describe our future world. Other words such as “exciting, disturbing or limitless” come to my mind as well. This shows this technology has the potential to radically change our world and lifestyle. However, it’s hard to tell presently whether those changes would be for the betterment of humankind or would conversely lead to its doom. That’s why it’s important more than ever to start the conversation on this technology and its repercussions. People should get involved to regulate and control how this field will evolve and no let the top 1% dictate the policies.
Thank you, Pascaline and Mel, for sharing this Sci-Fi kind of idea. I know that Elon Musk has invested a company in researching brain chip (https://zeenews.india.com/technology/elon-musk-claims-neuralink-brain-chip-will-allow-people-to-hear-sounds-impossible-to-humans-2300285.html) which may have some connections to your topic.
The rationale works great to highlight the points of why B/CI matters. Imagine when the neural machine translation is commercialized successfully, what impact would it bring to the market of language training? And I believe this is only a small piece of its huge potentials. It reminds me of the shock I had experienced when I first watched Neo learned Kongfu in Matrix, the movie. This scene is indeed the future education will look like: students will never waste time remembering knowledge and information; they download the proper knowledge in a minute and practice it in the real situation!
However, everything has pros and cons. I notice that Enrique has to pay ONLY 1999.99 to connect to the service, and I believe the price will go up when better service is needed. The risk of widening the divide between social classes is going to be a huge concern. Those who cannot afford the connection will be left far behind. Technology is never value-neutral; on the contrary, they represent the eagerness of political and social capital.
Thank you again for the great sharing.
Yi
Hi Yi,
Thanks for your feedback and comments. Indeed, Elon Musk’s brain chip is related to our topic but what he’s proposing is slightly different to what we presented. At the moment, Neuralink is working on a Brain/Machine Interface and the procedure to implant the chip is quite invasive. If I’m not mistaken, the chip will be linked to a machine/supercomputer. In our project, we described the use of nanotechnology to link human brains directly to the web. It is less invasive and different methods such as injection or ingestible capsules were suggested for introducing those neuralnanobots in our body.
I like that you mentioned the “Matrix” and it’s one of my favourite movies. I guess since I first watched it, I have been intrigued about the possibility of downloading information anytime, anywhere. As for the universal translator/ neural translation machine, its impact would be devastating for the market of language training and testing. Why learn a foreign language when it can be easily translated in real time with this technology? I also think government would need to rethink their immigration policies and guidelines in terms of language proficiency. Most people nowadays who plan to immigrate to Canada, UK and Australia have to take an English proficiency test to qualify for immigration or earn extra points. It would be hard to justify this kind of test in the future with this technology.
Thank you, Yi! The digital divide will continue to be an issue, and the $1999.99 is an arbitrary number – it would likely cost much more at first for neuralnanorobots to be implanted – I don’t even want to think of the monthly subscription to the B/CI!
At first I was thinking, bring on the brain/computer interface! Sign me up! But there are a couple reasons to hesitate that you mention in your site that got me thinking a little deeper. Data privacy would be a huge issue, as you mention in the podcast. Would I really want a computer system to have access to every single one of my thoughts and feelings? Accessibility was the other huge issue that gave me pause. Does everyone get a neural interface or only the wealthy? What if someone’s neurology is simply incompatible and they get left behind in society?
The potential benefits you’ve noted are also huge – I had never really considered that so much of our “open learning” resources are actually completely closed if you are not an English speaker. A brain/cloud interface would solve so many language barriers – just that functionality alone would revolutionize our world – and I agree that a wearable device would never be able to match the speed of an interface built directly into our brains.
As with all technologies and innovations, we end up having to weight the costs and benefits. If the benefits outweigh the costs, a technology becomes a part of our world, and it can be really hard to foresee how you might feel about a benefit when it comes along. If someone had asked me 20 years ago whether I would freely give a corporation enormous amounts of personal data, including most of my personal conversations, in exchange for the simple ability to see pictures and statuses posted by my friends online, I would have said no – but in 2020 I’m on Facebook and Instagram daily saying yes to that very proposition.
Does everyone get a neural interface or only the wealthy?
Hi Anne,
That’s a fair question. As the neuralnanorobots become mainstream, there will be a push to level the playing field and allow everyone to have access to it. The same phenomenon is happening right now with internet access. If I’m not mistaken, the United Nation in 2016 released a non-binding resolution urging countries to ensure that internet access was broadly available and to prevent unreasonable restrictions. Now that’s not to say internet should be free but should be provided at a reasonable price. Likely, once more people adopt neuralnanorobots and there’s less controversy around it, more companies will jump on this wagon and start creating more effective and cheaper nanobots. Competition will decrease the price drastically but I have to admit, that probably the rich and famous will be the first ones to reap the benefits of this technology.
Anne, I consider myself a first adopter of a lot of tech, and initially I was all for the idea of connecting my brain to the cloud interface, and that I would be willing risk the medical implications of neuralnanobot implants. But then I started thinking about what would happen next regarding privacy and security and began to worry about the worst case scenario of humans being exploited by or enslaved by this technology.
There was the idea of the cloudmind that we researched but did not detail in this A3, but there was a predicted use of the B/CI where people could sell or offer their brainpower up to the cloud to solve problems. You can read more about it here: https://jetpress.org/v26.2/swan.htm Reading this is the point where I reconsidered the idea of ever connecting my brain through a B/CI. How would people with a B/CI be exploited? Take the Marie Curie or Einstein of our generation. Would corporations or governments round up everyone with demonstrated high academic achievement or IQ and mandate they connect their brains to the cloud interface and use their brainpower? Would there ever be down time for us to pursue fun, passions, or creative endeavours then?
Mel, wow, I had never even considered that possibility – chaining a bunch of human minds together into a processing farm. It feels a little like The Matrix but with CPU processing instead of biological energy. Eek!
Would you be more likely to be an early adopter with B/CI it if there was an easy kill switch on the technology? Or if the interface was something you could plug in but easily remove later? Taking the Matrix as an example – the B/CI in that movie enters into your brain via a physical plug so it IS entirely possible to completely disconnect and regain your power if something sketchy is going on.
I liked how you began by introducing yourself and sort of laying out the problem you wish to solve – that being that linguistic barriers prevent access to information, informal, and formal education opportunities.
And I really liked that you included a short podcast at the end. Excellent way to go there.
I’m definitely wary of the ramifications of transparent shadowing. And nanobots sound to me like a terrifying dystopic novel. But maybe I’m just “old school”.
That all said, your presentation was extremely well put together and engaging throughout. Great job!
Thank you, Tyler! I am excited by the potential of the B/CI to enhance our abilities, but I may just be a little too cautious about the dystopian potential of it to become a human test case for it.