Computing with Brain Power?

I don't know if a processor is wanted but I would like a memory unit, say with a day-timer layout and searchable database. I understand that would require a small processor to run so add a basic scientific calculator.

Brad

I don't think we are ready as a society for implants, because of the possibility of control by others. When we have been able to eliminate big brother, now rampant, then maybe... the possibilities are absolutely endless.

BTW, if control is not central to the issue, then you don't need implants. Once you create an interface to the human nervous system, then you can eliminate things like tiredness or laziness, and get rid of fat... you can put people to work.. and that makes for excellent slaves. remember the basic idea of the matrix. addon portable computer power is available now.... you can buy memory for under a dollar a gigabyte now. applications are endless.. but to control people physically... its an application that is the dream of the evil empire.

There is no technology with more potential, especially if you add in quantum computing, but also there is no technology inherently more dangerous, and more capable of making human slaves.

Would our governments do that? I think their masters would in a Zeptosecond

Wasn't this also in the last scientific american? still a lot of hurdles to be taken before we can become the "borg" ;)

The ethical issue is simple "why would you" , Look at tech in the past 20 yrs ,,, since the cell phone and computer hit the masses society has gone to the days of everyone sitting on a pc... Do we really need to make this a 24/7 tech reality ... do we need 24/7 electronic implant so we can check emails during sleep .. come on .. there come a time when society revolks and rejects such ideas.. .I think the 24/7 tag is a century or at least 1-2 generations away ... but i can see govenment having u chipped .. they do that already in one or two european countries soon as the kid is born they get tagged,

Guest, did you actually read what you wrote???? I take it you have participated in this discussion via all this new technology? Too much negativity has already held the human race back WAY to far! You are going to die!!! Ethics like that has been killing the human race for ever! Don't you find that a little ridiculous in this day and age, especially with the knowledge and technology we have at our finger tips. Dead is a little final. Enhancing my life with a chip or two.... what the heck, BRING IT ON, I'll have a dozen thanks. I would love to live to 200, 2000. Couldn't care less if it takes a chip or two. Rather that, than feed a worm!

There is a whole big universe out there waiting for me to explore, chip me if it gets me out there. You can be negative, but please practice what you preach, use the technology you feel is fitting to your views. Oh, try not to scream as you die. Most people do question mortality (or rather immortality), in their last seconds. Me, chip away mate, I'll love it.

By the way, there is a difference between chipping and tagging, and of course - everything should be monitored, but nothing should be held back because of pure negativety disguised as "ethical issues". You don't like it, great, don't use it. However, please don't spoil my life expectancy and quality of life with your caveman views. I want to see my kids grow up, their kids grow up and their kids too, if it is at all possible. And I do want the same for them. If I could be downloaded on to a chip until a new body/blank is created for me, I would be the happiest little "living" being in the universe, believe me. Trust me, if I die, I will be screaming all the way. I will be very *#$$!:( at people like you who held up technology which therefore allowed me to die. But I will talk to you about that in around 50 years time!!!

Less killing, more living!

By the way, 6 - 7 billion people on this planet. Not very many when you take populating and looking after our little solar system into account. We also die to damn fast which doesn't bode well for exploring our own tiny little galaxy! We as the human race need all the help we can get, and these researchers and scientists are right on the money.

As I said, "Bring It On"! Me too please.

nano and its specific risks/potentials is just another layer to the ongoing fantasy of 'enhancement' by implants. afaik from surveying the literature, there is no evidence to show that neural implants are able to produce any enhancement greater than that obtained by drinking a cup of coffee.

In spite of this, the ethics literature has developed a major focus around 'enhancement' issues, while mostly ignoring the serious issues around the down side of implant technology. You have only to read the list of adverse effects published by manufacturers of commercialized therapeutic implants to understand why they are approved on a compassionate basis only: no healthy volunteers for research with this level of risk. There is a fundamental set of problems arising from implant tech, due to the natural immune response to foreign stuff in the body. This undoubtedly applies equally to nano material implants as it does to silicon, polyimide, PEDOT etc. Then there is a second set of troubles arising from the generation of foreign electrical impulses with the potential to produce adverse effects. Many of these effects are parameter-driven and adjustable by the controlling device: signal amplitude, pulse frequency and waveform are examples of manipulable parameters which are adjusted to make the patient as comfortable as possible. But read the list of side effects suffered by users, even in a therapeutic context. It should be obvious that wireless implants have weapons potential, in the hands of malicious criminal or terrorist parties. The potential to harm, apparently, far exceeds the potential to 'enhance', except possibly in the desperate cases for which it is medically approved.

In fact, as a means to criminal acts, the neural implants of our day more or less approximate the means to the 'perfect crime'. Medical imaging and medical protocol should be riding herd on these new technologies to ensure that doesn't happen. This is not, afaik, happening. And the application of nanotech to the same business only means we are falling further behiind in this medical and forensic imaging responsibility. Is it a coincidence that medicine's blind eye favours criminal acts that benefit research interests?

RAMAN is a technology with in vivo imaging capabilities that could be applied to device detection as far as the present generation of biocompatible and conductive polymers is concerned. Any idea whether this would be applicable to nanomaterials?

This type of tech would put the teaching industry out of business. The unions would never allow it. Just imagine if you implanted these devices at birth or soon after, all you would need to do would be to download information into the child's brain directly. You could decide a career path and lifestyle for your kids just by pushing a button. Good bye free will and individuality. No more of that useless imagination...Oh wait, it was the imagination that got us here. Stop this before it starts!

I don't know if this technology would necessarily be the "end of imagination". But, there are some unbelievable medical and ethical issues to consider. Think about it, we are dealing with free-will, the line between man and machine, consciousness, all of these are questions that humans have been struggling with forever. These questions are most likely unanswerable. I also think we as humans need to mature a little bit before this G~D-like power is bestowed upon us. People can't have greed and sin in their hearts. You can't risk it. I hope and pray that we will all use this technology to help, not hurt. But, once its available, I see us using it. Humans always have that curiosity, that innate hunger to discover what's out there. We are always looking for the new and exciting, sometimes no matter what the outcome or circumstances. We have to hold onto our morals and standards, and embrace them before this technology is made available. Also, as has been proven in the past, you can't get rid of human nature. All sin will never be completely gone from men's hearts, but I believe that we can manage it. I hope our ego's and ambition don't get the best of us. Time will tell.