Seminar Report on BCIs, Brain-Computer Interfaces
A brain-computer interface (BCI), often called a mind-machine interface (MMI) or sometimes called a direct neural interface (DNI), synthetic telepathy interface (STI) or a brain-machine interface (BMI), is a direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device. BCIs are often directed at assisting, augmenting, or repairing human cognitive or sensory-motor functions.
As the power of modern computers grows alongside our understanding of the human brain, we move ever closer to making some pretty spectacular science fiction into reality. Imagine transmitting signals directly to someone's brain that would allow them to see, hear or feel specific sensory inputs. Consider the potential to manipulate computers or machinery with nothing more than a thought. It isn't about convenience -- for severely disabled people, the development of a brain-computer interface (BCI) could be the most important technological breakthrough in decades. In this article, we'll learn all about how BCIs work, their limitations, and where they could be headed in the future.
Advantages of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)
- Allow paralyzed people to control prosthetic limbs with their mind
- Transmit visual images to the mind of a blind person, allowing them to see
- Transmit auditory data to the mind of a deaf person, allowing them to hear
- Allow gamers to control video games with their minds
- Allow a mute person to have their thoughts displayed and spoken by a computer
Disadvantages of Brain-Computer Interface BCI
- Research is still in the beginning stages
- The current technology is crude
- Ethical issues may prevent its development
- Electrodes outside of the skull can detect very few electric signals from the brain
- Electrodes placed inside the skull create scar tissue in the brain
As BCI technology further advances, brain tissue may one day give way to implanted silicon chips thereby creating a completely computerized simulation of the human brain that can be augmented at will. Futurists predict that from there, superhuman artificial intelligence won't be far behind.
Neuralink
Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk in 2016, aims to revolutionize brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Their mission is to create a generalized brain interface that restores autonomy to individuals with unmet medical needs and unlocks human potential. The N1 Implant, Neuralink’s brain-computer interface device, is fully implantable, cosmetically invisible, and allows seamless control of computers or mobile devices. It features biocompatible enclosures, custom chips, and 1024 electrodes distributed across ultra-thin threads. Neuralink prioritizes ease of use, aiming to restore independence and improve lives. They are creating a patient registry to connect with individuals who can benefit from BCIs, envisioning a future where BCIs are integral to people’s lives. In January 2024, a year after being cleared for the test, billionaire Elon Musk’s Neuralink has implanted its wireless brain chip in a human for the first time. The patient got an implant and is recovering well, as announced by Musk.
The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024
Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.
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