[Tyler]

Monkeys Jack-in To Control Virtual Arms
10 October 2011, 7:45 pm

 

According to a Duke University news release, researchers are one step closer to a Brain-Machine-Brain Interface (BMBI) suitable for fitting paralyzed patients with robotic-exoskeletons. Sounds like they're getting closer to a brain interface that will let you jack-in to virtual reality environments too. In the words of the researchers:

Our BMBI demonstrated direct bidirectional communication between a primate brain and an external actuator. Because both the afferent and efferent channels bypassed the subject’s body, we propose that BMBIs can effectively liberate a brain from the physical constraints of the body. Accordingly, future BMBIs may not be limited to limb prostheses but may include devices designed for reciprocal communication among neural structures and with a variety of external actuators.

Monkeys were equipped with the new interface and connected to a simulated environment with a simulated arm. The machine provided sensory input directly to the monkey's brains and the monkeys provided actuation outputs directly to the machine. The researcher's latest results were published in Nature a few days ago as a letter titled "Active tactile exploration using a brain-machine-brain interface" (PDF format). Read on to see video of the results, showing the virtual arms controlled by the monkeys.

Source: robots.net

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[Bragi]

As a kid I always dreamt of being able to simply 'jack-in' to a game and be all in it. I think I've changed my mind on that. For some reason, I don't think I'd be comfortable walking around with all those wires in my head.

[infurl]

As a kid I always dreamt of being able to simply 'jack-in' to a game and be all in it. I think I've changed my mind on that. For some reason, I don't think I'd be comfortable walking around with all those wires in my head.

Did you ever see a sci-fi movie called "Existenz"? If not, check it out sometime. It is about people playing games in virtual reality environments, and they're plugging things a lot worse than wires into themselves when they "jack-in".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120907/

[Freddy]

Yeah good film I thought, I penned a review of it : http://aidreams.co.uk/forum/index.php?page=eXistenZ

[Bragi]

As a kid I always dreamt of being able to simply 'jack-in' to a game and be all in it. I think I've changed my mind on that. For some reason, I don't think I'd be comfortable walking around with all those wires in my head.

Did you ever see a sci-fi movie called "Existenz"? If not, check it out sometime. It is about people playing games in virtual reality environments, and they're plugging things a lot worse than wires into themselves when they "jack-in".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120907/

Ye, I did. Loved it. I actually used that name-thing for a while on everything I did, back then.
In the movie though, it's all biological, while in reality, it'll probably be mostly metal. I found it a weird choice at the time, but Looking back, it sort of makes sense: it's less awkward.

[Art]

Not unlike Matrix (trilogy). Funny how when they died in the virtual world, they also died in the real world.
People always said that if you dream that you die, then you'll die for real! (or when you wake up!)

[DaveMorton]

People always said that if you dream that you die, then you'll die for real! (or when you wake up!)

I can personally attest and verify (well, verbally, at least) that this is not the case. I've "died" many times in my dreams, and am still here.

[infurl]

People always said that if you dream that you die, then you'll die for real! (or when you wake up!)

I can personally attest and verify (well, verbally, at least) that this is not the case. I've "died" many times in my dreams, and am still here.

Actually Dave, you're still dreaming. You are yet to wake up...

[DaveMorton]

"Am I a man, dreaming of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly, who dreamt I was a man, dreaming of being a butterfly?" -- someone else; not me.

[Duskrider]

Thriller Movie last night  -  "The Surrogates"
Future society where people don't go out much. They live through a robot that goes out, etc etc.   Kinda cool, robot killed in car accident or something, no big deal, you get another one.  Of course your robot looks and acts human, young and handsome. And the girl robots very beautiful. 
All is great until......   
        ... but that would be telling.   

[infurl]

It's on my list of movies to watch. Was wondering if it was based on the book "Kiln People" by David Brin? From the little that I know of the movie, it looks like a very similar story, although in "Kiln People" those who are wealthy enough are not limited to having just one surrogate at a time.

Also the surrogates in this book are much more autonomous and come in different varieties, denoted by their colour. Each one has a copy of the knowledge and personality of the owner, but may be enhanced physically or mentally. Also the copies only last for a day or so, and at the end of their useful life, the owner has the option of uploading any useful knowledge or experiences that the copies gained back into his or her own mind.

[ivanv]

actually i did like one alternative input to computer: our eyes. a camera recognizes direction of eyes' looking what controls a mouse. now, all you have to do is to look around and ocasionaly say "click" to navigate app.

hehe, imagine a room full of computer users. you just hear lot of people, all saying click...click...click...click...

[DaveMorton]

I think that that would probably drive me even more mad than I already am. I'd much rather have some other method of clicking, such as winking... Instead of "left-click/right-click", it could be "left-wink/right-wink". Of course stroke victims, and those rare few who can't wink with either eye would have trouble, but there are still other methods.

[Art]

Come out of the old and into the new. Properly wired, one could look at the item and simply THINK <Click>,
and it's done.
There are several toys that allow the user to control things by just thinking about them.

Imagine what the future holds.