Bow to our new Robot Monkey overlords.

Taft

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 13, 2003

• #1

Er...well maybe not yet.

This research does look very promising, though. They hooked up electrodes to a monkey's brain and connected them to a robotic arm. The monkey was eventually able to move the robotic arm with its brain alone.

But will the monkey use it for good or for evil????

😀

Taft

 

Flowbee

macrumors 68030

• Oct 13, 2003

• #2

Re: Bow to our new Robot Monkey overlords.

Originally posted by Taft


But will the monkey use it for good or for evil????

😀

Click to expand...

Wow. Automated poo throwing!

 

wdlove

macrumors P6

• Oct 13, 2003

• #3

It think that this is awesome research. The ability to implant a computer chip into the brain of the monkey. Able to use mental thought to move a mechanical object. This will give the paralyzed automony in the future!

 

T

tristan

macrumors 6502a

• Oct 13, 2003

• #4

You mean monkey CYBORG overlords. To quote the governator:

"Cyborg. Living tissue over metal."

This sounds like an excellent upgrade for my army of flying monkeys.

 

neut

macrumors 68000

• Oct 13, 2003

• #5

monkey shines anyone?

 

rainman::|:|

macrumors 603

• Oct 13, 2003

• #6

a) generally when monkeys are used as test subjects, it's the last step before human testing, and

b) this is not limited to paralyzed.

right now we know how to hook a device like this into the muscle control system. what happens when we figure out ways to tap into other centers?

they've been doing research like this for years, connecting rat brain cells to robots, etc etc... but this is by far the most promising...

a whole new way of input/output for the human brain. this opens a hell of a lot of doors... history has been made.

pnw

 

V

vixapphire

macrumors 6502

• Oct 13, 2003

• #7

I agree; what an amazing milestone. Noted a few things in the article I read about it last night:

1. the scientist who said "This is where you want to be!" sure hit the nail on the head with that statement.

2. mentioned are possible military applications. let's face it, that's where this stuff is going first, in all likelihood. unfortunately, whereas i've been excited about that in the past, everytime i think of it anymore i get that nauseous feeling of dull horror i experienced when i was watching the "Terminator 3" film, when the machines come rolling in and start massacring all the people in the command center...

3. i love the fact that, according to the doctors, the monkey-subjects really love the "game". that's pretty cool.

talk about living in heady times - considering the past 20 years alone, just imagine what promise the next 40 years hold!

 

Mudbug

Administrator emeritus

• Oct 13, 2003

• #8

Originally posted by paulwhannel
a whole new way of input/output for the human brain. this opens a hell of a lot of doors... history has been made.

Click to expand...

I think my problem with this is that in order to open a lot of doors, then you've got to open a door into your skull, which will pretty much prevent me from ever wanting to be on the receiving end of such a functional addition. Now, if they figured a way to make it work without wiring it to the head, then count me in.

I've been trying to figure out what to do with my extra monkeys anyway. 🙂

 

Stelliform

macrumors 68000

• Oct 14, 2003

• #9

Originally posted by Mudbug
I think my problem with this is that in order to open a lot of doors, then you've got to open a door into your skull, which will pretty much prevent me from ever wanting to be on the receiving end of such a functional addition. Now, if they figured a way to make it work without wiring it to the head, then count me in.

Click to expand...

But what if the connection to your wetware allowed you to become totally immersed into the computer. Like the Matrix, William Gibson, etc...

I think I will wait for Rev. 2, but I certainly will be in line... 😀

 

yamabushi

macrumors 65816

• Oct 14, 2003

• #10

Reminds me of some brain research a few years ago where they had subjects contol a cursor by altering their brainwave patterns. Unfortunately thinking where you wanted it to go wasn't quite as responsive as using your arm and a mouse and also required quite a bit of practice.

I am very excited about the idea of brain implants. I'll just put all of my homework and notes on my iBrain for the test next Tuesday...

Meanwhile let's start up a collection to buy a complete cybernetic body for Stephen Hawking.