this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Well, if I'd have paralysis, with some probability I'd want to try even knowing all about Musk.

There's that problem though with Musk apparently being too excited about putting a cord in one's skull. Instead of, I don't know, scanning for brain waves and analyzing patterns? I know literally nothing of the domain area, it's just that maybe subtlety is a good thing.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Don't worry, just learn some flashy buzzwords and you'll know as much about brain implants as musk.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A few years ago, I read a really comprehensive article about Neuralink on waitbutwhy.com. Mind you, it's long.

But if I recall correctly, the reason why needles rather than scanning is precision, speed and 2 two-way communication. Needles is a more risky and invasive procedure, but it does allow near instant communication, at the precise neurons you want to target, and it allows to override the signal.

In some cases of paralysis, the signal to move a muscle might be there, but it's just to weak to get anything done. By amplifying it, you fix that problem at the source.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Well, wouldn't that also require manufacturing a unique device for every person using it? In case it becomes commercial.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

It's been a few years since I last read it, but from what I recall the devices themselves can be pretty much the same, but it might vary where exactly they "plug in". Also each individual user will have to learn how to use the device. That knowledge gap is supposed to decrease as the technology improves.

Initially it will be used to improve the lives of people with disabilities, but eventually it will be used for direct communication and beyond. For starters, it took me a few minutes to type out this response on my phone, being bottlenecked by my fingers and SwiftKeys insistence that I meant different words. If I could just "think" the words directly into the input ~~fortis~~ field, it would have been much faster.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It would be even faster if you'd use a keyboard on a PDA from early zeroes.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Faster than 1 finger swiping, yes. But not faster than I can think the words.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Imagine how much worse the internet will be when content is created at the speed of everyone's thoughts and not even even the slightest moment to be rethought as they are typed.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Have you every looked at YouTube comments? The difference might be smaller than you think.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yeah this is one of those things where you don't have to like the guy to want to take advantage of the tech. Elon is a loud mouthed idiot, but he's somehow spawned some cool companies

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

It's because he does things that sound cool to him and doesn't handle any of the engineering when it's too complicated and thus leaves all power to actual professionals

SpaceX does fine because he's minimally involved, as does neuralink. Tesla he's ruined through his involvement but only barely (the stupid touch-based yoke and no lidar, for example).

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

His one actual ability is promoting companies to get private and public funding, then taking credit for all of it as if he had spawned them.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago

Hmmm... I see the image of that Elon guy's head up there. Does it mean they are trying to implant some brain into it?

;-)

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

i really hope it works out. fda approval for such devices will be a big step forward for my mechanicus cosplay