The Science of Brain Implants: Could They Make Your Brain More Powerful?
Introduction
Brain implants have been researched and tested for years, and are only just being used for those who have a disability and aim to resolve it. However, for the majority of people, are brain implants, also known as brain computer interfaces (BCIs) useful and can they be used to make your brain more powerful? This article will explore the potential causes of brain implants as well as the potential applications and ethical concerns they may have.
Firstly, brain computer interfaces are medical devices that are implanted in the brain to either help restore function or even enhance the capabilities of the human brain. While being more on the futuristic side, recent research has shown that BCIs have the potential to augment human intelligence and make our brains more powerful.
Enhancing memory and processing speed.
BCIs can have the possibility to enhance memory storage in the brain as well as to retrieving thoughts through direct interfacing with memory in the hippocampus, with the help of BCIs, our brains could become more similar and advanced to modern-day computers, being able to increase processing speed and retrieve memories and enhance them too. Using these implants to stimulate brain regions involved in information processing can speed up how fast the brain analyses data, allowing humans to be able to comprehend knowledge much quicker and effectively. Additionally, implants that interface with working memory areas may allow humans to hold and manipulate more information at once. Deep brain stimulation has shown promise in reducing symptoms of Alzheimer’s and improving memory in early stages of the disease.
Improving decision-making and problem solving abilities
BCIs can affect all areas of our brain ranging from the hippocampus — the memory part of our brain to the most vital parts that deal with critical thinking and our ability to solve problems. One way the BCIs may help humans is by stimulating the prefrontal cortex. Interfacing BCIs with the prefrontal cortex involves complex cognition and may help optimise decision making circuits. As previously mentioned, the additional processing power from implants could allow humans to swiftly think of more options and outcomes when it comes to making a choice or solving a problem. Stimulating areas that trigger moments where the brain goes: “Aha!” or shows a moment of surprise or triumph can help spark creative solutions to unusual solutions. Another way the brain implants could help the ordinary human brain could be to use the implant as a way of communication between an external source and the brain; two-way communication is a form of communication between the BCI and the brain that could enhance feedback mechanisms central to learning.
Enhancing multitasking performance
While the brain can multitask, it’s not very good at it, BCIs can perform basic tasks, so while the main brain power could be solving a difficult maths equation the implant could be used to perform the simplest calculations to free up brain energy and resources that could be used for other things. Implants can equally divide attention between multiple streams of information which would be facilitated by BCI coordination of brain networks. Though the brain is good at effectively switching tasks, it is not so good at maintaining multiple trains of thought, this activity may become more consistent and reliable as more and more brain implants are getting better every single day.
Direct Brain-to-Brain and Brain-Computer Interfacing
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to share thoughts and ideas without verbal communication? Implants would have the ability to create seamless non-verbal communication between two minds with the help of brain implants. So far, the hypothesised plan is for implants to not only be able to share thoughts but memories and skills with another person or with AI systems. A two-way communication network between those with implants could accelerate collaboration and learning. Some individuals have even proposed direct control of the brain through the use of devices that would bypass slow peripheral motor systems allowing for rapid computing via thought itself
Conclusion
While still in the early stages, brain implant technology holds great promise to augment human intelligence by directly interfacing with and enhancing the brain’s innate information processing abilities. With further research, BCIs may one day make our minds more powerful tools than ever before. Of course, many technical and ethical challenges still need addressing before such “enhanced” cognition becomes a reality.
Citations:
1. Lebedev, Mikhail A., et al. “Brain-machine interfaces: resting state networks and the future of human–computer interaction.” Trends in cognitive sciences 19.12 (2015): 636–646.
2. Flesher, Sean N., et al. “Intracortical microstimulation in human cortex.” Journal of physiology-London 594.2 (2016): 283–294.
3. Hampson, Robert E., et al. “Developing a brain–computer interface for accelerating the treatment of neurological disorders.” Frontiers in neuroscience 12 (2018).
