We need to understand Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain implant
JUN 20, 2024
∙ PAID
Why? Because it claims to be a successful brain-machine interface. An early step in building the promised “brain-computer” Merge. Which would transform humans.
The first human to receive the implant is a man who is paralyzed from the neck down. We’re told he can operate his computer in certain ways by thought alone.
How? The simple explanation is: He directs a thought-instruction, which his brain implant picks up and sends to the computer. An instruction like “open browser.” The computer gets the instruction from the implant and then opens the browser.
Voila. Boom.
However, I don’t believe that’s the whole story. That implant is sending the instruction to a software package, which is connected to the computer. The software actually delivers the instruction to the computer.
The paralyzed man is also supposed to be able to visit websites on his computer—by thought alone. He can think “go to site xyz” and the computer will go there.
I don’t think that’s the whole story. I find it very hard to believe the implant will comprehend that kind of thought-instruction to go to a specific website, if this is the first time the man is visiting that site.
The man thinks “go to CNN Health.” For the first time. The implant gets that message and knows what it’s saying? I don’t believe it. I don’t see how that’s possible.
Here is what I think is happening. The man underwent a prior training period. Before actually testing what he, the implant, and the software could accomplish.
During this training period, using a very LIMITED NUMBER OF CHOSEN WEBSITES, the man would think, for example, “go to CNN Health.” Many times. Until the implant and the software successfully interpreted the thought-signal.
And now, after that training period, the man CAN deliver instructions to go to those chosen sites, and the system will work.
If he suddenly issued a thought-instruction to go to a new site not pre-chosen during training, the system wouldn’t work.
Still, even such a limited system is impressive.
Because, even with much training, how is the implant figuring out what ANY given thought-instruction is saying?
What is the implant finding, in brain activity? An electrical pattern which it can translate into language?
This post is for paid subscribers
Subscribe