[Art]

The premise is currently under study regarding the merging technology of digital signal processing with the recognizational skills & speed of the human brain.

Read more at:


http://www.wired.com/news/technology/medtech/0,71364-0.html?tw=wn_index_13

[FuzzieDice]

Hello Cyborgs! I hope it'll be available for more than just governments. Would be nice for anyone, really, that has to deal with this type of image processing.

And it's uses can go beyond image processing as well... If developed right.

[dan]

Well, if this is being developed by DARPA you can bet your worst fears come true.  This is like the movie real genius where they developed the laser for zapping enemies from space.  Pressured the genius students to develop it for the grant money, etc.  I can't think of private sector spinoffs from Darpa crap.  If you want a job work for the defense department making weapons for making people feel more secure, what an economic spinoff. (can you tell I'm biased)  I wish the world were a better place, but I don't think the defense department is trying to do that, nor do I think it is in it's best interest, on and on and on and on.  It reminds me of the cap for the fighter pilots that uses their brain energy to guide the jet, or the eye tracker that tracks the movement of their eye to stear the jet to the enemy.  Let's see this one will be used to pick out the indistinguishable enemy which stands among friendlies and mark them for the hit right.  I have an interest in these contracts to see where the government stands in the techno world, bio, etc, some of this crap is used to scare the terrorists, and most of it heads for the garbage heap, but some is pretty cool stuff if it was just used for the betterment of humanity rather than the destruction of human life it seems that would make a bit more sense.  Although, without death we would be a pretty crowded place.  There are always those philosophical dilemmas creeping in.

[Freddy]

Yes to both - it would be nice for those helpful things to be developed, and any half decent government that sees a threat to it is going to find a way of protecting it's people, however and through whatever means.



..i meant 'that see's a threat to it's people'...

[FuzzieDice]

Dan - As for what DARPA stuff eventually made it to public use (I assume that's what you were referring to?)

Right now, anytime we access the internet, that's an example. The original "internet" before it was opened to the public I think was AARCNET or something, which was a part of DARPA.

And you see the internet sure had enhanced our lives. And it gave me a job.

I do share your concerns, though. But I have hope. Also like Stanley, the autonomous vehicle that finished the DARPA robot car race. More and more car manufacturers are now looking into some of the technology and it may be available in cars sometime in the future. In fact, I hear some cars do have smart cruise control (slowing depending on traffic) and refusing to change lanes if it's unsafe or if you don't have the turn signal on.

[Art]

It seems to be a growing consensus that if the government comes out with what they proclaim to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, you can bet your bottom there's something in it for them!

A lot of inventions were made for purposes of peaceful endeavors only to be turned into a seemingly military advantage once the government got there hands on it.

I might seem skeptical but I've seen a lot of instances where this has happened.
Sorry to seem cynical but I actually only trust less than a handful of people in my life and with my life.

The government is not one of them!
of the people...by the people...for the people.  What were they thinking?

I'm hoping that cochlear, optical, neurological and other implants will help masses of people realize an enhanced potential for the betterment of mankind, not to advance a military or government agenda.

(Stepping down from soapbox....)