Brain Computer Interface By: Steven Conner

Quick Background Research began in the 1970s Grant from the National Science Foundation Contracted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

How It Works Electrodes - small chips that send or read electrical impulse signals Neurons - a nerve cell in the brain that receives and outputs nerve impulses as electric signals Electrical Signals - How all the pieces communicate Computer - either reads in the electrical signals sent back from the electrodes or sends data to the electrodes to be signalized

Electrodes Two types Interior - a small computer chip placed on the gray matter of the brain. External - a form of headgear. EEG (electroencephalograph)

Medical Use Artificial Hearing Audio Cortex Artificial Sight Visual Cortex Artificial Speech Comprehension Cortex & Vocal Cortex Prosthetic limbs Nerves & cerebellum Normalization

Military Use Combat Enhancement Suits Mind Controlled Combat Robots

Other Uses Mind Controlled Mini-Quadcopter Second Life for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)

Present Ethical Issues Neuro side effects from use BCI can cause subjects to lose some sleep Mental state No mental change has ever been recorded Risk of brain related illness like amnesia BCI has no recorded cases of causing brain related illnesses

Future Ethical Concerns Mind Control The current level of BCI is still decades away (if even possible) from mind control Thought Reading At the current level of BCI we can only get fragmented thoughts after placing the EEG on a subject's head

References [1]: Vidal, JJ (1973). "Toward direct brain-computer communication". Annual review of biophysics and bioengineering 2: 157–80. doi:10.1146/annurev.bb.02.060173.001105.PMID 4583653 [2]: Grabianowski, Ed. "How Brain-computer Interfaces Work" 02 November 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/brain-computer-interface.htm> [3]: Greenfield, Susan A. "Brain Story: Unlocking Our Inner World of Emotions, Memories, Ideas and Desires." DK Adult, 2001. [4]: Evans, Gareth. “Brain Computer Interfacing: A Big Step Towards Military Mind-Control” July 17, 2013. Army-Technology.com. <http://www.army-technology.com/features/featurebrain-computer-interfacing-military-mind-control/> [5]: Anthony, Sebastian. “Berkeley Researchers Replace Passwords With Passthoughts by Reading Your Mind” April 8, 2013. Extremetech.com. <http://www.extremetech.com/computing/152827-berkeley-researchers-authenticate-your-identity-with-just-your- brainwaves-replace-passwords-with-passthoughts> [6]: NEUROGADGET. “SECOND LIFE AVATARS CONTROLLED VIA BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE” July 8, 2011. Neurogadget.com. <http://neurogadget.com/2011/07/08/second-life-avatars-controlled-via-brain-computer-interface/2303>