New research shows that an organic electronic "biomimetic" neuron
(i.e., an artificial neuron that takes neurochemicals as inputs,
generates
an action potential which releases other neurochemicals to connection
"real" neurons) is possible to construct and, with refinements and
reduction
in size, may be implantable in living brains to supplement their
function
or, in the case of neurodegenerative disorders, take over for dead or
dying neurons. That day, however, is years away.
The popular/mass media has picked up on the article and one
version is provided on the Popular Science website; see:
http://www.popsci.com/these-artificial-neurons-work-organic-ones
and the Science Daily website (which provides references):
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150624080038.htm
The article is available via the ScienceDirect Database:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956566315300610
If this research pans out, it may provide treatments for neurological
disorders that so far have no effective treatments. However, one
possibility that is not raised is whether such artificial neurons in an
alternate form would be able to detect, say, electromagnetic radiation
and convert them into a neural code that the brain can readily
interpret. For example, if cells can be created that can detect
WiFi signals and convert them into either verbal, visual, and/or
auditory form, then a person can be "online" all of the time. One
problem I see with this is that an executive control mechanism would
have to also be in place in order to select which WiFi signals to
take and process.
The complement of this these "WiFi receptive" neurons or networks
would WiFi transmission" neurons or networks which would allow
one to mentally send out message to WiFi networks. One key
problem here, I think, is that such a process would require much
more energy to generate an electromagnetic signal, but this
might be solved by having a device like a cochlear implant-in-reverse,
that is, a same device attached to head takes the weak signal
from the brain and boosts it to transmit to a WiFi receiver.
I have a feeling if such a device were possible/inevitable,
Mark Zuckerberg would be so happy: see:
http://www.informationweek.com/it-life/why-facebook-telepathy-dont-mix/a/d-id/1321150
:-)
-Mike Palij
New York University
[email protected]
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