Will technology be able to read your thoughts? The idea is looking less like science fiction every day.
Brad G. Smith, a man suffering from ALS, just became the third person in the world to receive a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant from a technology company called Neuralink, according to Fox News. The device interprets signals in Smith’s brain, allowing him to control his devices without physical movement. The BCI allows Smith, who is nonverbal due to his condition, greater ease of communication. It has even provided him the ability to do more activities with his children, such as playing video games, than he would otherwise be able to do.
The breakthroughs with BCIs are remarkable and have led to some intriguing possibilities, but they come with some potential concerns as well.
What is a Brain-Computer Interface?
“The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10 thousand other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe.” – Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist and author
A brain-computer interface is a tool that creates a line of communication between the brain and an external device, like a phone or computer.
An early example of a brain-computer interface was the electroencephalogram (EEG). For more than a century now, this common medical test has measured electrical activity in the brain, helping to diagnose epilepsy and other brain-related conditions.
Today’s BCIs seek to achieve a more complicated task: to match the intention of specific brain activity with the appropriate, corresponding effect.
In the case of Neuralink, their BCI is a small, cylindrical device that sits in the skull and connects to the motor cortex. Thin threads are inserted into the brain that capture neuron signals across milliseconds. The BCI then transmits this data to a connected device (a MacBook Pro in Smith’s case) that uses artificial intelligence to decode the user’s intent, such as clicking a button or moving a cursor across a screen. This is how Smith is able to interact with his devices without moving his hands.
The Power and Potential of BCIs
The experiences of Smith and others put the potential impact of this developing technology on full display. Within the medical field, BCIs can be used to help people with various neurological disorders, such as ALS or quadriplegia, or others who have experienced a loss of motor skills. With refinement, the technology could have significant application in the fields of prosthetics and accessibility.
And the potential for BCIs has led to significant financial investment. Neuralink recently raised $650 million dollars in funding as its BCI moved into clinical trials—a big step in making the technology more available to a wider audience.
But Neuralink isn’t the only competitor in this ever-expanding field of technology. Paradromics, a neurotech startup, recently completed its own BCI implant in May. Starfish Neuroscience anticipates its first “brain chips” will be ready later this year.
Limits of Brain-Computer Interfaces
For all the potential found in brain-computer interfaces, the technology still has its limitations. For instance, Noland Arbaugh, the first patient who received the Neuralink implant, experienced a retraction of the BCI threads that had been inserted into his brain (though he still retains functionality with his devices). Additionally, the BCI must be trained to deliver the appropriate action based on which neurons are firing in the brain, which can result in a lot of trial and error.
So, no, technology has not advanced to the point where it can truly read your thoughts. And I think many people would consider that a good thing. Because while BCIs offer several intriguing possibilities in the medical field, some proponents of the technology don’t intend for it to stop there.
Concerns and Looking Ahead
Elon Musk, who founded Neuralink in 2016, has spoken on the need to “achieve a symbiosis between human and machine intelligence” as artificial intelligence advances. The statement reveals a desire to go beyond medical treatments and into a sphere of widespread adoption.
And that might be cause for more than a few concerns.
As BCIs progress, will their use extend beyond medical applications into work, education or entertainment? Will individuals feel the need to incorporate this technology into their everyday lives (not to mention their bodies)?
Depending on your perspective, that might sound silly, but consider this: The first smartphone hit the market in 1994. Some 30 years later, there are nearly 5 billion smartphone users across the globe. The pressure to keep up with technology can be immense, and the potential integration of brain-computer interfaces could present some consequential decisions for families in the future.
What effects would a widespread adoption of brain-computer interfaces mean for mental health? What about privacy and safety? As with the progression of any technology, there will be a plethora of questions to answer along the way.
Regardless, it’s important to remember that, while technological advancements can be awe-inspiring, the most incredible invention that exists in this world is us. Not formed by our own power but crafted by an all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving Creator.
As we read in Psalm 139:13-14, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
