Comments on: Brain-Machine-Brain http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/ Your Daily Fix of Neuroscience, Skepticism, and Critical Thinking Tue, 21 May 2013 09:41:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Rikki-Tikki-Tavi http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37840 Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:52:52 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37840 "... This problem will likely be solved by devices that capture energy from biological processes (moving, breathing, etc) in order to power implantable devices." Why not go right to the source and oxidize the blood sugar? http://www.news-medical.net/news/20110715/Implantable-fuel-cells-may-obtain-energy-from-blood-sugar-and-oxygen.aspx “… This problem will likely be solved by devices that capture energy from biological processes (moving, breathing, etc) in order to power implantable devices.”

Why not go right to the source and oxidize the blood sugar?

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20110715/Implantable-fuel-cells-may-obtain-energy-from-blood-sugar-and-oxygen.aspx

]]> By: Elwood http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37818 Elwood Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:04:30 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37818 Slightly OT... I'm glad I stumbled upon this post - it's the perfect opportunity to recommend Max Barry's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Machine-Man-ebook/dp/B005EROFAU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1318564388&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow"> Machine Man</a>. I've been meaning to mention it since I heard a recent SGU and there was a mention of implants to enhance senses. The main character in this book is involved in a program that does exactly that... and more. Fantastic read, darkly humorous. Australian author, although you wouldn't know it from the content. I hope Neurologica readers enjoy it as much as I did. Slightly OT…

I’m glad I stumbled upon this post – it’s the perfect opportunity to recommend Max Barry’s
Machine Man.
I’ve been meaning to mention it since I heard a recent SGU and there was a mention of implants to enhance senses.
The main character in this book is involved in a program that does exactly that… and more. Fantastic read, darkly humorous. Australian author, although you wouldn’t know it from the content.

I hope Neurologica readers enjoy it as much as I did.

]]> By: RickK http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37803 RickK Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:31:56 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37803 Only tangentially on topic. I just read "The Disappearing Spoon" and was fascinated by the discovery that the body doesn't see the element titanium as a foreign body. A scientist (Branemark?) was experimenting with titanium to cover damaged rabbit bone during a bone marrow experiment when he noticed that the growing bone fused to the titanium. Any other type of metal would get rejected by the body, and would be wrapped in something like collagen to isolate it. Titanium is different. It bypasses the defense mechanisms, and the body happily incorporates it even to the point of fusing bone to it. An early step in blending man and machine. And another example of why real science and nature are so much more interesting than pseudoscience and fantasy. Only tangentially on topic. I just read “The Disappearing Spoon” and was fascinated by the discovery that the body doesn’t see the element titanium as a foreign body. A scientist (Branemark?) was experimenting with titanium to cover damaged rabbit bone during a bone marrow experiment when he noticed that the growing bone fused to the titanium. Any other type of metal would get rejected by the body, and would be wrapped in something like collagen to isolate it. Titanium is different. It bypasses the defense mechanisms, and the body happily incorporates it even to the point of fusing bone to it.

An early step in blending man and machine. And another example of why real science and nature are so much more interesting than pseudoscience and fantasy.

]]> By: Kawarthajon http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37788 Kawarthajon Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:52:37 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37788 Although all of this technology holds great promise (and of course an impending global apocalypse caused by the war between humans and machines), realistically, this technology will likely be out of reach for most people, other than the military and very wealthy citizens. An exo-skeleton machine would cost millions of dollars to build and it is unlikely that they would ever be mass produced on a scale that would lower the price dramatically. Even today, many people with disabilities can't afford commonly available and mass-produced aids, like electric wheelchairs, communication devices, accessible cars, and so on. The limit here is not technology, but economics. Although all of this technology holds great promise (and of course an impending global apocalypse caused by the war between humans and machines), realistically, this technology will likely be out of reach for most people, other than the military and very wealthy citizens. An exo-skeleton machine would cost millions of dollars to build and it is unlikely that they would ever be mass produced on a scale that would lower the price dramatically. Even today, many people with disabilities can’t afford commonly available and mass-produced aids, like electric wheelchairs, communication devices, accessible cars, and so on. The limit here is not technology, but economics.

]]> By: Ted N. http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37784 Ted N. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:45:01 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37784 In this area, 'The Concept of Mind' by Gilbert Ryle has been my bible, so to speak, for many years. In the light of the recent developments and the results of reliable researches in and observations of the functions of the brain, which Dr. Novella kindly makes accessible to many of us (i guess), i have to admit now, that the Aristotelian model is grossly defectuous and that the neurology of the future is likely to be more technico-empirical than philosophical, metaphysical or speculative. In this area, ‘The Concept of Mind’ by Gilbert Ryle has been my bible, so to speak, for many years.
In the light of the recent developments and the results of reliable researches in and observations of the functions of the brain, which Dr. Novella kindly makes accessible to many of us (i guess), i have to admit now, that the Aristotelian model is grossly defectuous and that the neurology of the future is likely to be more technico-empirical than philosophical, metaphysical or speculative.

]]> By: tmac57 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37775 tmac57 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:22:04 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37775 I was just listening to a story about this on Science Friday,interviewing neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis. The question was raised about using this technology for dangerous jobs where you could send in a robot remotely controlled by a human to do hazardous work such as the clean up at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Dr. Nicolelis said that it would never be justified to implant the device in a regular person that does not have a severe disability ,implying that this would not be practical.But it seems to me,that if you had a disabled patient that could use the device,then that person could then be employed to do this kind of work,giving them something useful and productive to do with their life.Basically allowing them to have a job. I was just listening to a story about this on Science Friday,interviewing neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis. The question was raised about using this technology for dangerous jobs where you could send in a robot remotely controlled by a human to do hazardous work such as the clean up at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Dr. Nicolelis said that it would never be justified to implant the device in a regular person that does not have a severe disability ,implying that this would not be practical.But it seems to me,that if you had a disabled patient that could use the device,then that person could then be employed to do this kind of work,giving them something useful and productive to do with their life.Basically allowing them to have a job.

]]> By: ccbowers http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37767 ccbowers Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:16:06 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37767 "That is an unfair ad hominem…to apes!" Actually that would be "ad hominoid." ;) Also apes already have opposable thumbs. “That is an unfair ad hominem…to apes!”

Actually that would be “ad hominoid.” ;)
Also apes already have opposable thumbs.

]]> By: tmac57 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37766 tmac57 Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:47:59 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37766 Rikki-Tikki-Tavi- That is an unfair ad hominem...to apes! Rikki-Tikki-Tavi-
That is an unfair ad hominem…to apes!

]]> By: Rikki-Tikki-Tavi http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37757 Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:29:59 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37757 @tmac57: We allready have those. They're called homeopaths. @tmac57: We allready have those. They’re called homeopaths.

]]> By: tmac57 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-machine-brain/comment-page-1/#comment-37736 tmac57 Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:38:56 +0000 http://theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=3715#comment-37736 Does this mean we can give apes the use of opposable thumbs? Does this mean we can give apes the use of opposable thumbs?

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