George Rebane
Elon ‘I’ll try anything new’ Musk just announced a new development in brain-computer communications that was made at Neuralink, his recent investment in man-machine symbiosis. Yes, it will take a while before we can command Alexa or Siri with our thoughts and have the results delivered as directly perceived knowledge/data. But Neuralink’s approach (shown below) is the first that will connect 1000+ wire threads directly to neurons in your brainbone and record the time-series signal of their activity (i.e. firings). Algos will be developed to decode those firing patterns into something understandable, and a computer connected to anything from prosthetics to the Internet will do the rest. (more here and here)
A handful of other companies are working on similar interface technologies, and Musk blowing his trumpet is guaranteed to have the others put their pedals to the metal. In these pre-Singularity years it is the significant baby steps like this that tend to set off an avalanche of development. For years we have talked about the Singularity and the requirement for H. Sapiens to climb aboard once that event occurs (as shown in the figure). That climbing aboard the transhuman express will be made much more facile if we have some of the required tools developed and already in use. Congratulations to the Neuralink team and Elon Musk.
It must be the way I'm wired (no pun intended) but every time I read about some new tech or futuristic development, I acknowledge the possibilities but also the realities of the day-to-day and the ramifications of what can go wrong. Back when everyone was gushing about 'self-driving' cars, my first thoughts were of what happens when there's a pile-up? Who's responsible? Much, much later, articles started to appear asking the same questions.
Now we have wires in our head. Great. Lots of cool possibilities, but what happens when there's a head injury? Who covers what costs? When (not if) it malfunctions and you are sitting in a jail cell in Lower Podunk and the sheriff is scoffing at your story, will our laws be up to the minute to cover the trouble? What will be the extent of your responsibility to maintain its maintenance? We already know that most of the people that write our laws are woefully untrained in how new tech makes a shambles of our existing enactments. I'm hardly a Luddite, but I would really like to see people like Musk address these issues. If they can't or won't - look out.
Einstein fretted about the possibilities down the road with atomic power - it would be nice to see a similar thinking process with our new high-tech heroes.
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 05:57 PM
Go Elon!
Posted by: Russell Steele | 17 July 2019 at 07:55 PM
ScottO 557pm - valid concerns, but throughout history tech advancement has never waited for all the contingencies of adoption covered and the laws passed before people started using it. We have all shown concerns for everything from atomic power, through new medicines, to now the Singularity. Technology is developed unlawfully - it was ever thus. Fretting has always made no never mind, laws have to catch up later.
Posted by: George Rebane | 17 July 2019 at 08:16 PM
Scott-
Wires in the brain are nothing new. Seizures, depression, and various psychosis are treated with implanted e-stim. I'm sure the legal beagles have tested the waters of liability. This is a new level far and away beyond mere electrical stimulation or suppression.
As much as Bessee, Walt and other light thinking right wing haters detest Musk for thinking beyond fossil fuels, and always highlight and cheer his "failures", I believe he will go down in history along side the likes of Edison and Bell.
Posted by: Rock Hunter | 17 July 2019 at 09:07 PM
Totally agree, George. That's just me. My post was more about how the average Joe (and the know-nothing press) get all wrapped up in the 'gee-whiz' aspect and later start wondering if perhaps someone should've planned a little better.
New stuff is always in the pipeline - just wish society would give a little more thought to the resultant repercussions.
As you point out - it was always thus.
But there is no logical reason for it to be that way other than folks seem to always be so mystified and awed by the latest shining object that they just seem to lose their thinking ability about 'what happens now?'
Not advocating any kind of slowdown in tech (as if we could!) just think it would be nice if the obvious problems raised by new stuff could be proactively dealt with instead of the constant "oh shit, I hadn't thought of that" moments.
Of course you didn't - because you weren't thinking!
Duh!
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 09:08 PM
"As much as Bessee, Walt and other light thinking right wing haters detest Musk for thinking beyond fossil fuels..."
Another idiot comment from Rock-brain.
What conservatives detest about Musk is that he loves to suck from the tax payers. Tesla autos are over-priced crap. Without tax payer funding, electric cars in this country would never sell.
Nothing like idiots on the left cheering on tax payer handouts to the wealthy for their new toys!
Rocky thinks it's wonderful for a middle class Joe who can't afford a new car to hand over money to his wealthy neighbor for his shiny new Tesla!
Oh yeah - that's what govt is for!
As I previously pointed out, morons like Rocky are so enamored with the shining object, they can't think.
Electric cars, as it turns out, aren't 'green' at all.
And I was on to that scam years ago.
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 09:31 PM
The left has conniptions about 'blood for oil' but 'blood for lithium' is okie dokie.
Can't let a few cars and bikes into the desert, but we need to pave the whole damn place to put up solar panels. We love endangered birds unless they fly into wind farms - too bad, sooooo sad.
If wealthy and famous leftys fly around enough in their private jets, we can save the planet!
China is our green progressive hero because they plan to increase their carbon footprint.
Oh yeah - Rock-brain and his buddies have it all figured out.
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 09:40 PM
Musk isn't the only one -
https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/lightyear-one-solar-car/
A real 'peoples car'.
Money quote - "It may have experience with solar power but, like other automotive startups, Lightyear has no experience actually making production cars. In addition, the company hopes to launch its first car on a shoestring budget."
But I'll bet they have lots of experience in writing grant requests!
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 09:51 PM
Scotty- "What conservatives detest about Musk is that he loves to suck from the tax payers"
Wrong what conservative detest about Musk is that he scares the shit out of you because he has the will and the means to disrupt your comfy petro based economy. Trump says he doesn't pay taxes because "he is smart" and you lick his balls. Musk employs the same tactics to "suck from tax payers" and he is your villain. Get it straight.
BTW do you really think Neuralink isn't tapped into DARPA (taxpayer) funding? Musk has shown over and again he is a master of sucking from the taxpayer (as you say) and DARPA interests go hand in glove with those of Neuralink. Only an idiot would think taxpayers aren't involved.
Posted by: Rock Hunter | 17 July 2019 at 10:03 PM
Lets all have a big one handed clap for the well known sock puppets comic stylings @1003.
;-)
Posted by: Don Bessee | 17 July 2019 at 10:21 PM
"Wrong what conservative detest about Musk is that he scares the shit out of you because he has the will and the means to disrupt your comfy petro based economy."
I was unaware I 'had' a 'petro based' economy.
And of course, it boils down to my "FEAR". I'm laughing at you, Bozo.
The facts are clear, Rock-head - Tesla owners are far and away more affluent than the average tax payer, yet they are handed free gifts from the govt when they buy electric cars. Are you going to say that isn't so?
And the facts are clear that electric cars are far more 'polluting' in the sense that they have a higher carbon footprint than conventional autos.
But Rock-head thinks he knows what I "really" believe.
I think Rocky has a few loose wires in his brain.
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 10:23 PM
Poor Rocky - he thinks the lithium for the batteries for Teslas comes from good thoughts and the prayers of angels. There's only so much oil and only so much lithium. Unless Rocky knows how to produce it from thin air. And he thinks that the batteries last forever and ever and ever. Until they don't.
Guess where the world's largest known supply of lithium is?
Afghanistan.
Oops.
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 10:33 PM
Maybe Musk can help - notice these are all Dem and left-leaning areas.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/16/heat-wave-could-cause-power-outages-new-york-city-chicago-d-c/1749257001/
Money quote - "“The demand for power can increase as the heat wave goes on because people become less resistant – more willing to turn their air conditioning on and up,” said Allan Drury, a spokesman for Con Edison in New York."
Ah - Darwin is at work.
So - if this was a known factor, why doesn't the power company do something about it?
Do they claim they didn't know the population was increasing?
Do they claim they didn't know it gets hot in the summer?
Do they claim their spokes-person or spokes-thing was lying?
Is there a lithium battery deficit?
Where does Con-Ed obtain their energy to produce electricity?
Aren't there enough angel farts to run everything?
Physics really isn't a very hard subject.
But we note that (again) this is a lefty area.
Maybe if they shut down enough coal plants, everything will be OK.
Maybe.
Posted by: Scott O | 17 July 2019 at 10:54 PM
Elon Musk's quest to stop the 'AI apocalypse' by merging man with machines
Another views at the UK Telegraph:
If you can’t beat them, join them. Or if you’re Elon Musk, the billionaire boss of private rocket outfit SpaceX and electric vehicle firm Tesla, why not just become them?
On Wednesday, the tech mogul unveiled plans to implant human brains with computer chips in an effort to merge man with machine, marking the start of a quest to prevent Silicon Valley’s most feared scenario: society’s demise at the hands of artificial intelligence.
Musk has long sounded the alarm on AI, claiming that rapid advances in machine learning risk “summoning a demon” that leaves humans in the dust as super-intelligent systems out-manoeuvre our species at every task imaginable.
“At least when there’s an evil dictator,...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/07/18/elon-musks-quest-stop-ai-apocalypse-merging-man-machines/?
Posted by: Russell Steele | 18 July 2019 at 05:29 AM
Any new development has 2 sides to it. With plenty of gray in between. Disruptive technology - well - it disrupts. And pretty much every new tech is disruptive to a degree somewhere down the line.
But our moral and ethical guidelines are still there to be used when we implement any new tech. Applying those guidelines is not an easy task when society can't even agree to what they are. And too much restriction can stifle the development of something that the world needs.
I don't fear new tech, I fear the angry mob and the power-lusting hypocrites getting their hands on it.
The good Lord gave us a pretty nifty think-box and free will. That combination might do us all in eventually, but in the meantime we'll just have to enjoy the ride.
Posted by: Scott O | 18 July 2019 at 07:47 AM
Tribute to my Nevada County native brother.
http://sierradragonsbreathe.blogspot.com/2019/07/sweet-forever-dreams-brother.html
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 18 July 2019 at 08:22 AM