The advances in computing science and understanding of neuroscience is making it realistic for humans to enhance their cognitive capability and augment their decision-making skills. The human learning and information processing capacity can be significantly increased if machines can detect, monitor and track the behaviour of the human brain at cellular level.
The limitations of the human brain with respect to memory retention, learning, attention span, alertness, comprehension and decision making can be overcome by integrating machine-brain interface. It will augment the capability of humans by monitoring their state of mind and providing them with the required stimulation to enhance their performance.Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) will play a significant role in future for learning and skill enhancement of individuals. By providing the real-time physical/cognitive status of learners,the BMI will be able to provide immersive, personalized learning and accelerate the cognitive skills of learners.
Click on the link below to the A3 assignment – ’Brain-Computer Interface for Cognitive Augmentation’.
HOME | My Site 1 (wixsite.com)
It explains the working of Brain-Machine Interface systems and how these systems in future will play a major role in augmenting the cognitive capability of individuals in their learning and training processes.
Hi Loveleen
I love the topic that you have chosen. I found neuro-interfacing to be one of the necessary technological advances that is needed to really enable all the other tech. With our mobile technology getting more powerful and smaller with every generation, the importance of a flexible input system cannot be overstated.
Looking at NextMind, I see that their products could be a path into more accessible mobile tech that could potentially eliminate the need to touch or type completely. How cool would it be to think about what you want to write and have the words magically appear on your screen? I did research the product beforehand as I was interested in getting one to use with my VR setup. It seems like while it’s functionally extremely cool, it uses a certain pattern that gets your brain to fire off certain neurons. This would be that the texture of the item that you are trying to interact with would need to have that certain pattern. I find this extremely limiting as you would need the pattern to be visible onscreen in order for the device to work.
I think the issue of focus could also be a plus or a minus depending on how you look at it. It would be difficult for students to focus intently on their screens for long periods of time, but it could also improve their ability to focus overall. However, it could be extremely powerful for students who have any sort of motor issues or needs assistance with their output.
Hi Wynn,
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with the NextMind product. I have not explored much about their product specifically. However, the technology of BCI is still in its infancy stage and with ongoing research in this field, the researchers will improvise and work on these limitations.
Hi Loveleen
Very interesting concept, and one I’ve occasionally thought about in passing. Our brain (and nervous system in general) is essentially a series of electrical currents and released neurotransmitters. Detect, decipher and interpret the neurotransmitters and you can interface with the brain. There are so many possibilities for a technology like this – think of physically handicapped people (quadriplegics) who are able to control their wheelchair or communicate through a speaker just by thinking it, or people with amputated limbs – their prostheses could be connected to the brain interface and they could almost have their normal limb back.
You addressed some concerns, but the main one I have is with thought and impulse control. How would one control random thoughts and impulses from sending unwanted messages to the interface and producing unwanted results? In the same way that one may suddenly ‘twitch’ or ‘jerk’ just as they are falling asleep, (hypnic jerks) there may be unwanted movements or controls with a brain interface. https://www.healthline.com/health/hypnagogic-jerk#symptoms
An enjoyable read, thank you.
Hi Marlis,
You raised a good question. I researched your question but couldn’t find any relevant answer. However, if this issue arises, my thoughts are that the researchers might equip BCI to detect the random pattern which may arise abruptly and may ask the subject to validate it before it takes any further action. Again, it is my hypothesis, in reality there might be some better technical solution which might resolve this concern in near future.
Hi Loveleen:
I started reading your A3. I am concerned because I cannot tell what information has been paraphrased from your sources. Some of your references are not complete. I bring this up since what have written is very good, however, it’s really important to know where these ideas comes from, especially if someone would like to reference the work presented in your Wix site .
Hi Brittany,
I am glad that you enjoyed reading it and found the article to be well written. A list of references are already provided in the bibliography section which can be reviewed by the reader to gain more in depth knowledge about the on-going research in this field.
Hi Loveleen!
I found your presentation very exciting. Your idea was interesting because it pushed the boundaries between wearables that enhance human performance through behavior (tracking sleep, counting steps, heart rate, etc.) vs wearable technology that augments how our cognition operates. One question I have is whether the BMI can be removed when not in a learning context. This technology reminds me of a scene in the film Clockwork Orange, where a ‘droog’ or violent criminal goes under behavior modification. They force Alex to watch violent films and have his eyes kept open with clamps so that he can’t look away. In a way, BMI doesn’t allow for any day dreaming or breaking of thoughts. Eye movements are tracked and also controlled, like in the Clockwork Orange. It is almost as if the learner’s executive function is being controlled externally. During busy times at school, I certainly wish I had a BMI. This being said, I would definitely need to remove it when I was done learning in a formal context. I agree with all of the ethical considerations you placed at the end of your presentation. I also question whether or not knowledge mediated by the BMI would have more staying power than that gained through analog means.
Jen
Hi Jennifer,
Very interesting question. Even I would be interested in having something which temporarily augments your brain and can be removed when you don’t need it.The non-invasive BCI can be removed when not in use unlike invasive one. The invasive will be permanently embedded in the brain using surgery. That is why many companies are going for non-invasive ones which have less safety concerns. Companies like NextMind are creating non-invasive technology which can augment and stimulate the brain neurons when the BCI system is used.
Here is a video link which shows how the brain can control the outside technological devices through thoughts while wearing BCI systems.
https://youtu.be/RR7tHXV14xk
You have also raised a good question regarding knowledge retention. With the ongoing research in BMI systems, the more uses and functionality will unfold in the near future.
Hi Loveleen,
Wow! Same as Michael, I think this was quite mind-blowing to read. It’s scary to think that we are at that point in time where direct interaction between our brain and machine would be possible. I think it has huge potentials for application, not only in learning but our everyday life. We can think about setting an alarm on our phone and it would just happen?
I am most intrigued by the infographic that you showed which showed one of the applications was “skill downloading”. I would have liked to learn more about what you meant in the infographic, are these currently in research or just what people think may be an application? In my mind I’m thinking of The Matrix, learning how to fly a helicopter in a minute via a download, which is hard to imagine that it could become reality! This was surely an interesting topic. Thank you for sharing!
Emily
Hi Emily,
Very good question. Yes, the research is still going on as to how the skills can be downloaded directly in the brain using BCI systems. The scientists doing research in cognitive and computational neuroscience have found that when an individual acquires a new skill, a new brain pattern is formed. BCI systems can help in generating the appropriate brain pattern activity and help in acquiring the skill. The research is going on where a new learning can be directly induced in the brain by helping subjects to produce the neural pattern required for the skill. You can read the link which I have shared below which gives an overview of how researchers are working on directly inducing neural patterns into the brains required for learning new skills.
https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2019/08/07-brain-changes.html
Thank you.
Wow, what an enjoyable and “mind-blowing” read. You’re A3 addresses an extremely relevant topic, I have no doubt that the technology that you mentioned will be mass adopted at some point in our lifetime. Like you mentioned on your website to work synchronously with artificial intelligence, we will need to augment our own brain to keep up with the advancements of AI. I couldn’t agree more with this statement. It kind of reminds me of an older video game I played as a child, Knights of the Old Republic. In this game, you could equip your character with a variety of wearables that all impacted your strength, wisdom, dexterity, intelligence, skill, etc. One of the equipable areas was brain implants very similar to what you described. Ethically there are definitely a lot of issues, Who decides who gets first access? Would the price of this technology further divide the rich and poor? Would the government pay for the implant?. I’m also curious how does this compare to gene editing like CRISPR? Would BMI technology be a substitute for gene editing or something that works alongside it? I have so many questions. However BMI technology is really not much different than everyone having access to the internet via a mobile device, our devices give us tools to immediately access and recall information. Recognizing that does make the idea of accepting BMI technology easier to digest.
Fantastic job! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Michael
Hi Michael,
Thank you for your comments. As I have mentioned in ethics, there would definitely be issues which companies and regulatory bodies need to consider. Every time a new technology comes, it is accessible to socially rich and developed countries first. For augmenting the brain for memory enhancement and skill downloading, it might be more of personal choice than necessity. So individuals might decide whether to go for BMI technology or not.
Also, I don’t think BMI will be a substitute for gene editing. Gene editing is more therapeutic, prophylactic (preventive) and can enhance future ability of our progeny (designer babies). It can change the fetus which is irreversible. BMI on the other hand is pointed stimuli which recognize the pattern from the brain and therefore intervenes at physical level. BMI at cellular level unlike gene editing which is at molecular level (DNA molecule level). Gene editing can pose a higher risk as we are making changes at molecular level which has probability to modifying the normal functioning of a tissue. Also, gene editing will require more specialized technology as it is customizable and requires billions of dollars of investment.