remote brain wireless interface

Since writing that little piece yesterday, another step has been taken in a relatively new technology - non invasive brain-computer interfacing: here is the synopsis:

ScienceDaily (July 29, 2011) — "Brain cap" technology being developed at the University of Maryland allows users to turn their thoughts into motion. Associate Professor of Kinesiology José 'Pepe' L. Contreras-Vidal and his team have created a non-invasive, sensor-lined cap with neural interface software that soon could be used to control computers, robotic prosthetic limbs, motorized wheelchairs and even digital avatars.

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"We are on track to develop, test and make available to the public- within the next few years -- a safe, reliable, noninvasive brain computer interface that can bring life-changing technology to millions of people whose ability to move has been diminished due to paralysis, stroke or other injury or illness," said Contreras-

Vidal of the university's School of Public Health.

WHAT IF WHEN?

Researchers, when discussing these technologies, almost always talk about their application to those who have diseases and  infirmities - which is well and good,but what really interests me, is the potential for these technologies to be used by healthy people to interface with their minds.

Once could imagine the electrodes implanted using soft biocompatible electronics outside the skull - the circuitry will eventually be reduced in size to such small sizes, that such implantation will effectively be non invasive. One assumes that two way communication will be viable. Implantation into the brain itself is problematic,there is virtually no spare room in the human brain. 

I could imagine mobile phone companies and gaming companies being  very interested in this technology.

I myself cannot wait for the time when I can interface with my microcomputer without having to physically touch it.

It would sit in my pocket, and I would interface with it wirelessly and use it directly with my brain......the question is,what would happen to the internet and the cloud,once humans begin to directly interface with it,and once it begins to directly interface with humans. Our brains, which are very malleable, will certainly undergo changes.

A foot in the past,a foot in the future.

I am constantly thinking; thinking about times past, when I read Renaissance texts, mainly in Latin, and sometimes Roman texts - although these interest me less ; thinking about the future,as I look over the scientific abstracts every day.
One piece of news caught my eye recently,and set me thinking - the invention of a water compatible flexible circuit,capable of information processing. The press release from begins like this; ScienceDaily (July 14, 2011) — Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a memory device that is soft and functions well in wet environments -- opening the door to a new generation of biocompatible electronic devices.


What if when?


Now, only a small leap is required, to think, what would be needed to interface with the human brain?  At present, cumbersome glass electrodes are used, with wires having to traverse the blood-brain barrier. with  biocompatible implanted wifi connection, that would interface under the skin, behind the blood-brain barrier,the implant  would only need to be very small, as space is at a premium in the human brain - but it would not need to do much -  only link to a wifi relay booster  that would possibly have more power, located elsewhere in the body, where there is more room to play around with.
New energy harvesting technology would make the system self powering.


This in turn,would connect to the internet, giving the mind a direct connection to external data.