Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

Many fans of science fiction movies must have known about the "brain-computer interface" and this kind of "cool techs" for a long time.

The man in Avatar is a human warrior from the earth. When he entered the sleep chamber, the researchers interpreted the man's brain information through computer technology and used brain-computer interface technology to transfer human consciousness to this clone. In the Matrix, the protagonist Neo can instantly download martial arts skills to his brain through electrodes implanted on his neck, and in just a few seconds, he becomes a taekwondo master, easily defeating his pursuers; such a plot may seem unthinkable, but it may come true.

Source: the topic of "Avatar" and "brain-computer interface" has become a hot topic in recent years. So what exactly is a brain-computer interface?

The abbreviation of brain-computer interface (BCI), Brain Computer Interface, originated from a paper published by Professor Vidal of the University of California in 1973 in the Annual Review of Biophysics and Bioengineering. In this academic paper, he coined the term "BCI" for the first time. He believed that BCI is "the way for the brain to communicate directly with the outside world" and built the world's first non-implantable brain-computer interface system.

The implementation of brain-computer interface technology includes the following four main factors: signal acquisition, signal or data processing, device output and operation protocol.

① signal acquisition is the input of brain signal or information recorded by the brain-computer interface system, and the signal is digitized for analysis.

② signal / data processing refers to the conversion of original information into useful device commands, including feature extraction (determining meaningful changes in the signal) and feature conversion (converting signal changes into device commands).

③ device output is a command or control function managed by the brain-computer interface system, which can be a simple form of basic word processing and communication, or a higher level of control, such as driving a wheelchair or controlling a prosthetic limb.

④ operating protocol refers to the way users control how the system operates, including turning the system on or off, what kind of feedback and the speed at which the feedback is provided, the speed at which the system executes commands, and switching between various device outputs.

To put it simply, the "brain-computer interface" can convert the signals of neurons in the brain into practical instructions that can move objects in the real world. it has been applied in medical treatment, military, neuroentertainment, cognitive training, neurobioeconomics and so on.

The use of brain-computer interface technology to achieve visual "artificial eyeballs" to help the blind "see" more complex information and realize their dream of seeing the world clearly is just around the corner.

Cochlear implant is one of the earliest brain-computer interface technologies developed and successfully applied, which can provide artificial hearing for people with severe sensorineural deafness and ineffective traditional hearing aids.

Stephen William Hawking (Stephen William Hawking), a famous modern cosmologist, has installed a device similar to the brain-computer interface. The device acts like an EEG sensor that connects Hawking's mind to a computer so that he can keep himself in touch with the outside world.

The "idea control" involved in Avatar is based on brain-computer interface technology. In 2013, DAPRA funded a scientific research project called Avatar, which aims to enable soldiers to remotely control "mecha warriors" through "mind control" in the future, thus completing various combat tasks for soldiers.

Through the brain-computer interface technology, astronauts directly use ideas to output operation instructions, which not only saves a lot of time spent by astronauts moving their arms to complete the operation, but also reduces physical and mental consumption. As long as the astronauts "wade" in the air, they can complete a series of command output of the movement intention, thus completing a series of spaceship spaceship control.

In 2016, during the flight of China's Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 manned spaceships, the two astronauts completed the first space brain-computer interaction in human history. This test is of great significance and provides a key scientific basis for the new generation of medicine and human factor support in China's manned space program.

Picture source: CCTV news "shell mobile team", "number one player" and other popular science fiction works, for the audience to create a magical science fiction world.

Meta-universe is a virtual world which is linked and created by means of science and technology, and maps and interacts with the real world, which provides people with a fresh and low-cost leisure and entertainment experience. In meta-universe, the player's "five senses" can be realized.

One day, the "meta-universe" based on brain-computer interface will no longer be just an imagination, a product, a space, but a new "real world".

Brain-computer interface technology is a key technology in the 14th five-year Plan of National Economic and Social Development of the people's Republic of China. In the future, the application of brain-computer interface in the military field can be divided into the following three aspects:

① brain imitation technology: the "intelligence" of weapons may be close to humans.

② brain control technology: the use of mind control against weapons will become a reality.

③ brain control technology: let the enemy be subject to their own will.

Although the "brain-computer interface" is still in its infancy, with the development of science and technology, the future may be more science fiction than science fiction, and perhaps the "idea interconnection" will be in the near future.

Source: "telling teenagers about brain Science"

Author: Yan Tianyi

This article comes from the official account of Wechat: Origin Reading (ID:tupydread), author: Yan Tianyi

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