News > Geek > Pass the Chips, Please. Uh, the Neuroprosthetic Chips, That Is.

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SUNDAY JULY 29 2007 4:00 AM

Pass the Chips, Please. Uh, the Neuroprosthetic Chips, That Is.

Submitted by Rahodeb

Edited by Rahodeb

Ah, the brain: Powerful, complex, highly funtional, and soon-to-be compatible with the latest technical hardware. Imagine a world in which we could purchase more RAM for our very own noggins! It might be a while before we get there, but researchers at the University of Florida have developed chips which someday might be inserted in our brains.

It may sound like science fiction, but University of Florida researchers are developing devices that can interpret signals in the brain and stimulate neurons to perform correctly, advances that might someday make it possible for a tiny computer to fix diseases or even allow a paralyzed person to control a prosthetic device with his thoughts.

They're calling it a "neuroprosthetic" chip, and are currently putting their cool $2.5 million grant to use studying the concept in rats, with aims to test in human noodles within the next four years. The initial goal is to repair conditions and disabilities such as paralysis and epilepsy.

We really feel like if we can do this, well have the technology to offer new options for patients, said Justin Sanchez, director of the UF Neuroprosthetics Research Group and an assistant professor of pediatric neurology, neuroscience and biomedical engineering. Theres kind of a revolution going on right now in the neurosciences and biomedical engineering. People are trying to take engineering approaches for directly interfacing with the brain.

The hope is we can cure more immediately a variety of diseases.

I hope that some of these "people who are trying to take engineering approaches for directly interfacing with the brain" are thinking about the commercial possibilities, here. Forget the CliffsNotesbuy the neuroprosthetic chip with the whole damn book on it! Or, if you've got the funds, splurge on the entire college education, complete with honorary degree! Traveling to Karachi, but don't speak Urdu? Get the damn chip! Traffic school, just buy the chip! Those pesky wedding vows, or the stats for that upcoming presentation at work? Special order it! Whatever you need help remembering, we can remember it for you wholesale.

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Comments

semiretiredpunk

USA

March 2007

JUL 30, 2007 02:26 AM

Resistance is futile.
And besides, technology such as this would revolutionize the weeding out of thought criminals.

Matthew_O

Los Angeles, CA

December 2006

JUL 30, 2007 02:35 AM

_Elichrusos said:

Disagree! I can bring notes into my science and mathematics exams, and have been able tio since I started highschool. Having the information is different to being able to use it.

I'm sorry, but I read all the comments on this story and I gotta say...stay in school...that's all I can think of at this hour.

Now, back to the topic at hand.

I wonder if this is related to whatever was going on in the PETA video...the one with the animals with the computer chips in their heads. Seems like a possibility. I hope so, because I have no problem with it. But, of couse, I'm sure PETA does.

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