The concept of human mechanization is always trending among the scientific and non-scientific communities worldwide.
The science fiction genre has kept fandoms on their toes for decades producing movies like I-Robot and The Six Million Dollar Man.
The hybrid of man and robot is a fascinating idea which is in its early steps to materialization. Yes, a bionic robot can indeed become a possibility. Scientists have worked their way into fusing brain cells with a computer microchip! This opens up numerous horizons and is a big scientific breakthrough!
We can proudly say that the leading scientist behind this achievement is one of our own.
Dr. Naveed Syed, working in the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute has created the neurochip. He has made a way possible for us to know the communication between a tissue and an electronic device. The professor explained the phenomena as;
“It used to be like seeing two people talking at a distance. … You didn’t know what they were saying or even what language they were speaking. But now it’s like putting a microphone beside them,”
Dr. Naveed Syed talked to ER after delivering his lecture at Karachi University.
Question: Can we really control the human brain with a computer using a single chip?
Answer: “Yes, definitely we can! Already machines are controlling our brains. Your mobile phone always keeps you in its control. We are naturally connected to a machine this is not a big talk but in our research, a single or a specific brain cell is connected to a chip which is injured or not working properly. We tried to connect those parts of a brain that finishes the dependency of an individual and make him/her self dependent. This research ensures that how we can regain any loss of function of a brain.
Question: You said earlier that this chip catches the signals from the human brain. What do you mean by brain signals? Does it mean the emotions? Meaning, this chip will notify when a person is angry or happy?
Answer: Good question! Look if any machine or high functioning Artificial Intelligence machine is able to access your limbic system and cortex of your brain then you can create human feelings in it. It can love, hate or even can break your glass in anger or even it can cheat you too. So human faculties can be recaptured by machines but the problem is that we don’t have access to conscience because we don’t know how they actually work. If we will be able to understand how it actually works then there will be no difference between a machine and human.
Question: As you know that the brain is the most sensitive part of the body. How important is it to do proper risk analysis as a single pause in blood circulation inside the brain can cause death?
Answer: Risk analysis is very important and it is the only reason that we have not tested that chip in the human brain up till now. To cure someone is the primary necessity and for this, it is necessary you should focus on side effects and ethical issues. We have tested this chip in different animals like rats and monkeys and after long term research, we are able to test in human brains now.
Question: How does this chip deal with the genetic differences? Does this chip work differently in the brains of men and women?
Answer: It is a wrong concept that the brains of men and women work differently. They are the same. Ladies have many intelligent and smart brains and the multitasking capabilities of women make them special. This chip works similarly in both the brains.
This contribution to science is indeed a magnanimous one. Dr. Naveed Syed has made a name for Pakistan and contributed not only to the field of scientific research but also a big deal to our medical and pharmaceutical industries.
The 53-year-oldscientist says and I quote;
“A lot of people still think bionics is science fiction. It’s not. It’s already here.” n
What is a brain chip, how it connects tissues with electronic devices
on 21/03/2019