Neural Implants:
Toward Absolute Social Control?
April 3, 2005,
Alain Goumy
Computer scientist, 57 years old, Orléans.
Contact: alain.goumy @ tiscali.fr
Thanks to tiny electrodes implanted on the surface of the brain, it is already possible to directly control certain devices through thought alone. Such "neural implants" are currently being studied at several universities and private companies, funded by both civilian and military grants. Should we fear that these research efforts may pave the way for society to achieve absolute control over our thoughts and actions?
BrainGate
Recent preliminary results from a pilot study on the use of a neural implant were recently presented [1]. This study focuses on a system called BrainGate ("Brain Gate"), developed by the company Cyberkinetics [2], which enables motor-disabled individuals to easily operate various devices—such as computers, household appliances, or medical equipment—by directly thinking about them.
This system, based on an implant composed of a 10 by 10 matrix of electrodes, each finer than a human hair, is surgically placed on the brain’s surface to receive electrical signals from the motor cortex—the brain region responsible for movement. It thus allows simultaneous recording of the electrical activity of 100 neurons. These signals are transmitted via cable, through the skull, to an external device located in the wheelchair. After analysis using electronic and computer-based methods, the necessary commands are sent to the targeted devices.
Since his implantation in June 2004, the first patient—a young man paralyzed in all four limbs—has learned to turn lights on and off, control his television, or read his email, all by thought alone. He can do so effortlessly, even while speaking.
The final results of this pilot study, which will involve four additional tetraplegic patients, are expected to be published in early 2005.
(Readers wishing to deepen their understanding of how the nervous system works may consult the website referenced in [3], available in French.)
Brown University
The research leading to the BrainGate system was conducted at Brown University. Located in Providence (Rhode Island), the university has established a multidisciplinary research program on brain sciences (Brown University’s Brain Science Program – BSP) [4].
More specifically, it was the neuroscience laboratory [5] of Professor John Donoghue that developed this project. Funding has come from both a civilian agency (National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke) and a military agency (DARPA), whose objectives I will examine in greater detail later in this article.
John Donoghue is also one of the founders of the company Cyberkinetics. This "startup," established in 2001, handles the commercialization and continued development of products derived from university research in neural information processing, particularly the BrainGate system. While such initiatives remain relatively rare in France, they are commonplace in the United States.
In November 2004, John Donoghue granted an interview to the magazine Discover [6]. I have extracted the following passage, which sends chills down the spine:
If the brain code can be cracked, does that mean that my thoughts could eventually be read?
D: Yes, if you believe that spiking activity and populations of cells are the essence of brain activity— which they might not be. There might be more to it than that. But if that’s it, and you could pick up all those signals using millions of electrodes, then in theory you should be able to reconstruct everything going on in your head, see your dreams, and know your thoughts.
[If the brain code can be cracked, does that mean that my thoughts could eventually be read?
D: Yes, if you believe that spiking activity and populations of cells are the essence of brain activity— which they might not be. There might be more to it than that. But if that’s it, and you could pick up all those signals using millions of electrodes, then in theory you should be able to reconstruct everything going on in your head, see your dreams, and know your thoughts.]
We are not there yet—but the path is open...
Readers interested in the technical details of the BrainGate system will find useful the 69-page English document referenced in [7].
Upon reading this document, one realizes that neural implants will, in the future, not only allow control of devices but also enable the reception of sensory information, which will be fed back into the brain to improve interaction with the controlled devices (see section 6.6, pages 29 and 30).
DARPA
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) [8] is an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. Although largely unknown to the general public, it plays a crucial role as the central organization for research and development within the department.
Among the areas it funds, under the "Bio: Info: Micro Projects" section [9], are projects related to the development of neural interfaces.
Their objectives are described as follows:
The common focus in these efforts is the interaction between a biological information processor—the brain—and the synthetic networks of nano- and micro-devices. By concentrating on those interactions, DARPA seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the neural and synaptic organization of the brain and to eventually use that understanding as a guide to designing new DoD capabilities in signal processing, computation, and the human-machine interface.
[The interaction between a biological information processor—the brain—and synthetic networks of nano- and micro-devices constitutes the common focus of these efforts. By concentrating on these interactions, DARPA seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the neural and synaptic organization of the brain, and to eventually use this knowledge as a guide for designing new capabilities for the Department of Defense in signal processing, computing, and human-machine interfaces.]
Here, I open a "science fiction" parenthesis:
In the near future, possible military applications could include piloting combat aircraft or controlling weapon systems, where reducing reaction times by eliminating delays in neural signal transmission would provide a decisive advantage on the battlefield.
In the longer term, we might witness the integration of humans into computerized decision-making systems. Their brains would then function as "bio-informatic" processors, fulfilling roles where conventional computer systems are poorly suited—particularly solving unforeseen problems (no need for panic: they wouldn’t have to be locked in a cabinet among electronic circuits; a simple network connection would suffice, probably...)