Are brain implants the future of computing?

Vario and Photorealistic VR

• Vario, a Finnish startup, has developed a headset utilizing advanced eye-tracking to process only the portion of an image the eye is fixating on, achieving photorealism with no perceivable lag.
• The device's optics and displays match human eye resolution, a critical step toward convincing the brain that computer-generated simulations are real.
• Applications include transforming CAD models into fully accurate, photorealistic replicas for design validation, such as Volvo car models.

Current Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Landscape

• The term "brain-computer interface" was coined in California during the 1970s, though functional implementation has only occurred within the last 20 years.
• Non-invasive BCIs utilize portable devices or headsets (e.g., OpenBCI hardware in Vario headsets) to translate brain signals into commands for external objects like robotic arms or video games.
• Current limitations include the inability to distinguish complex conceptual distinctions (e.g., specific food choices) due to a lack of clear brain regions dedicated to such abstract concepts.
• AttentiveView Glasses: A wearable prototype designed by Dr. Natalia Kosmina (MIT) and NASA features ear-mounted sensors to monitor brain activity, eye movement, and health performance of astronauts on the International Space Station.
• In field tests, AttentiveView glasses enabled users to answer binary questions (e.g., "Yes/No") by decoding brain waves without verbal or physical input.
• Medical applications include providing basic communication for patients with neurodegenerative disorders like ALS.

Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation

• Prolonged use of BCIs can induce changes in both brain activity patterns and physical brain structures, effectively acting as a "brain training" tool.
• Professor Suk Lee Liu notes that BCIs can serve a compensatory role to replace lost functions or actively rehabilitate and restore disrupted neural networks and pathways.

Invasive BCIs and Surgical Implants

• Neuralink Experiments: Elon Musk's company has conducted tests using surgically implanted electrodes in monkeys (e.g., "Pager"), enabling the animal to play Pong by thinking about hand movements.
• Neuralink reports euthanizing eight monkeys during testing; the company maintains adherence to legal standards despite protests from activists demanding lab closures.
• Human Trials: In 2018, Peter Scott Morgan, a motor neurone disease patient, allowed surgeons to implant multiple chips into his body, extending his life by four years until his death in 2022.
• Invasive methods involve craniotomies to implant electrodes directly into neural populations, offering the highest accuracy but carrying significant health risks and ethical concerns.
• Invasive BCIs are viewed as the most promising path for merging human biology with technology to eliminate the gap between the virtual and real worlds.

Future Outlook and Ethical Considerations

• The technology is moving toward a future where the boundary between virtual and physical reality dissolves, potentially leading to scenarios depicted in science fiction like Ready Player One (2045 setting).
• Significant skepticism and concern remain regarding the direct interfacing of the brain, though the trajectory of development is considered inevitable.
• Current understanding of the brain remains incomplete, creating a landscape of both high hope and deep caution for future applications.