- Technology itself is not enough. Its dissemination first requires mental evolution of a man and breaking down barriers in the face of the unknown - says dr Spychalska.
The brain – computer interface is a computer system, which recognizes brain signals, analyses them, processes and transfers to a device to take up specific actions. It reads our thoughts so as to translate them into recognizable speech or to enable us to control various external devices.
Such interfaces seem to be an excellent solution in case of ailments resulting from such diseases as, e.g., multiple sclerosis or stroke. However, the idea of brain – computer interface may have a much wider scope of use and this constitutes a subject of controversy.
Controversial Neuralink of Elon Musk
The eccentric owner of Tesla is working on a tricky and risky method of connecting a computer to the brain using a chip. Musk boasts of very good results of experiments on animals and announces the imminent tests with participation of humans.
An extremely small implant would be placed under the skin. The implant would connect with a brain thanks to polymer threads with the thickness of a quarter of a human hair equipped with electrodes.
Additionally, in the body there would be four sensors – three in the motor areas, one in the somatosensory area. Since the communication is to take place wirelessly, there would be a transmitter behind the human ear. With its help, it would be possible to communicate with a computer or telephone.
The technology developed by Neuralink would lead to full symbiosis between a man and artificial intelligence. It could be used by individuals with brain disorders resulting from diseases (e.g., epilepsy) or other damage.
Neuralink arouses obvious concern as well as the fear of the loss of control over memories and thoughts. An invasive method of installing the implant chosen by Neuralink is also being criticized. Scientists point to a high risk of brain damage associated with placement of wires in it. The company is struggling to find a suitable coating, as well as creating electrodes that would last for decades and will not require troublesome replacement.
Will Neuralink manage to get around the existing problems? Will the human trials planned for 2020 be successful? Will the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) grant the Musk's start up the appropriate permissions? These questions still remain open.
University of Lodz examines new technologies
The subject of interfaces is only one of the issues that constitute research interest of dr Spychalska. The scientist has recently reported about the coming era of zettabytes in the context of 5G networks, about the algorithms used by artificial intelligence, as well as about human discrimination by artificial intelligence (AI). Dr Kaczorowska-Spychalska also represented the University of Lodz in the first edition of the "Listen to a scientist" campaign by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Association of Science Spokesmen. The researcher tackled the topic of fake news – ways of distinguishing between reliable and untrue information, the consequences of false information, also in the political and business dimensions.
Dominika Kaczorowska-Spychalska is the Head of the Centre Mixer of Smart Technologies at the Faculty of Management, University of Lodz. As an expert of the University in the field of digital technologies, she mostly deals with AI, Internet of Things and their implications in business. She is passionate about the impact of these technologies on human behaviour (Homo Cyber versus Homo Roboticus) and the scope and nature of interactions between a man and technology (Human-to-Machine, Machine-to-Human), including the issues of Digital Ethics.
University of Lodz is one of the biggest universities in Poland. Its mission is to educate top-class scientists and specialists in numerous fields of humanities, social sciences, natural and exact sciences as well as health sciences. UniLodz cooperates with business, both at the staff level by providing qualified employees as well as at the scientific level, by offering its know-how to enterprises from various areas of economy. University of Lodz is an academic institution open to the world – the number of its international students is constantly growing, while its Polish students, thanks to Exchange programmes, get to know Europe, Asia and travel overseas. The University is a part of Lodz, it operates for and with the community of Lodz by getting involved in many socio-cultural projects.
Source of information on Neuralink: https://geex.x-kom.pl/
Edit: Promotion Centre, UL