Another milestone for direct neuro-interfacing.. w00t!

[johnny861]

In 20 years I expect long distance neuro-reality porn!

Monkeys Treat Robot Arm as Their Own

Rather than simply manipulating device, their brain incorporates it as a normal appendage


Monkeys that control a robotic arm with their brain don't just learn to use it; their brain treats it as a normal appendage.

The finding is important for understanding the brain's ability to adapt and for the potential success of brain-linked devices.

The research stems from work led by Miguel Nicolelis at the Duke University Center for Neuroengineering in Durham, North Carolina in which monkeys manipulated a brain-linked robotic arm with thought alone.

For the new study, Mikhail Lebedev in Nicolelis's laboratory analyzed a mass of brain data that emerged from experiments that the researchers conducted in 2003.

"After these experiments, a major question remained about how the animals' brains adapted," says Nicolelis. "Mikhail analyzed very carefully what happens functionally to the brain cells and the brain cell ensembles in multiple brain areas during this transition," he continues. "And basically we were able to show clearly that a large percentage of the neurons become more 'entrained'—that is, their firing becomes more correlated to the operation of the robot arm than to the animal's own arm."

Tools are a part of you

Nicolelis says that the analysis showed that some brain cells formerly used for control of arms with which the monkeys were born shifted to control the robotic arm.

"So, our hypothesis is that the adaptation of brain structures allows the expansion of capability to use an artificial appendage with no loss of function, because the animal can flip back and forth between using the two," says Nicolelis. "Depending on the goal, the animal could use its own arm or the robotic arm, and in some cases both."

Furthermore, says Nicolelis, the researchers are suggesting that a fundamental trait of higher primates such as apes and humans is the ability to incorporate tools into the structure of the brain. In fact, says Nicolelis, the researchers propose that it's not only the brain that's adaptable, but the concept of self, which extends to the tools people use.

"Everything from cars to clothing that we use in our lives becomes incorporated into our sense of self," says Nicolelis. "So, our species is capable of 'evolving' the perception of what we are."



Besides being an important proposition for theories of mind, this also means that brain-linked devices should be incorporated as a natural extension of the brain.

Such devices will be more successful if they can better mimic the real thing, says Nicolelis, and his laboratory is working to this end.

"In our new experiments, the idea is that by using vision and touch, we're actually going to create inside the brains of these animal a vivid perceptual image of what it is to have a third arm," he says.

The research is reported in Journal of Neuroscience.

[zerojunkie]

Hello cyborg goodness.

[tricky]

so darth vader's suit is a possibility then.....

[tricky]

Originally Posted by xiannaix

no goddammit - fucking flying laser weilding robotic mokees - jesus christ man

i dont like monkees

[Left]

The research stems from work led by Miguel Nicolelis at the Duke University Center for Neuroengineering in Durham, North Carolina in which monkeys manipulated a brain-linked robotic arm with thought alone.

holy shit this is dope,
I want videos!!!!!!!!!!!

[zerojunkie]

Originally Posted by xiannaix

ok - substitute your animal of choice but include the wings and the lasers part

sharks!

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