The threats and ethics of neuroweapons and mind control

The current issue of the UNESCO Courier examines the subject of neuroweapons and mind control.  Many feel new international regulation on the use of neuroscience technology for manipulating and interrogating people’s minds is needed. I agree, but I also think it is prudent to separate fact from fear, and to put this potential threat in…

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Elon Musk’s Brain-Computer Interface—Reality Check

The much-anticipated recent announcement of Elon Musk’s development of a brain-computer interface (BCI) device, called Neuralink, was a media sensation.  The fact that Musk, a successful businessman who makes advanced technology a commercial reality, is investing in BCI is significant and newsworthy.  This area of research has been around since the 1970s, and brain stimulation…

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Muscling Up Brain-Computer Interfaces

The internet is abuzz with reports of neuroscientists linking the human brain to computers to eliminate the clickety keyboard and empower us to control personal electronic devices or manipulate robotic arms.  But the science beneath the sizzle doesn’t support all the sensational claims, and there are significant practical hurdles. Unless you have a medical condition…

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Wireless Brain Implant Allows “Locked-In” Woman to Communicate

Experts call the technology a “significant achievement,” but critics say the risks may not be justified.  The new brain-computer interface enables HB to select letters on a computer screen using her mind alone, spelling out words at a rate of one letter every 56 seconds, to share her thoughts. Credit: Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University…

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