Elon Musk to Show Working Neuralink Device This Friday

[Raevenlord]

Elon Musk, via its Neuralink company, is set to reveal a working device this Friday. Neuralink Corporation was started back in 2016 with the mission to develop a BMI (Brain-Machine Interface), ultimately allowing for integration of a computer with the human mind. Work has gone on in relative secrecy until now, but the announcement from Elon Musk shows that the company has been diligently working behind closed doors - as one would expect for such a fundamental technology. The first step is for Neuralink to serve as a "treatment" of sorts for brain diseases and assorted conditions. The device works by implanting threads into the brain, for which Neuralink is developing a "sewing machine-like" device that can manipulate and insert 4 to 6 μm in width threads throughout a recipient's brain (note that patient wasn't the word used there).

The basis behind Neuralink's foundation, and its ultimate goal, is the belief for a need for human augmentation (sometimes referred to as transhumanism). This aims to keep up with the increasingly entrenched Dataist interpretation of humankind, and the advent of increasingly complex algorithms - and even AI - throughout the sphere of our lives. Apart from showing off a working Neuralink prototype, which will supposedly demonstrate the ability to "fire neurons in real time", the company is unveiling a second-generation robot for sewing the threads into the brain. The objective is to develop flexible threads that circumvent currently-employed rigid threads in BMI interfaces, which always run the risk of damaging the brain. Eventually, this surgery will be non-invasive - an objective example is the workings of LASIK eye surgery. Being a Musk-backed project, lofty claims and unrealistic deadlines are aplenty; the company first expected to start human trials by the end of this year. For now, no more information on that milestone has been shared.





In-between the brain disease treatment and the human augmentation starts and ends of the plans for this technology is the aim to allow Neuralink-implanted human beings to connect to a processing aide - be it a computer or a smartphone. Imagine offloading information to your chosen device - backing-up real-time inputs from your senses - or being able to run on-the-fly Google or database searches. Imagine perfect memory, or the ability to write TPU news articles only by thinking of the content, instead of having to find a comfortable computer to work on. Imagine the benefits - and dangers - of perfect recall for every memory you've ever had. What do you think? Scary, or inspiring?

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[kayjay010101]

This cannot possibly turn to bite us in the ass.
Has Elon mentioned when he's launching Skynet?

 

[Raevenlord]

This cannot possibly turn to bite us in the ass.
Has Elon mentioned when he's launching Skynet?

Allegedly around 2023, when TSMC has finished launching its latest generation packaging technology. So insiders claim.

Kidding. Actually, Musk tends to side with the singularity-as-an-existential-threat field, so if anything, his intentions would be to impede a Skynet from ever happening. He seems to think that a way to do so is actually to connect humans to the Internet and silicon processing systems, though. Seems slightly counterintuitive, in a way, though it also makes sense, in another.

 

[hurakura]

Musk is so full of shit

 

[kayjay010101]

Allegedly around 2023, when TSMC has finished launching its latest generation packaging technology. So insiders claim.

Kidding. Actually, Musk tends to side with the singularity-as-an-existential-threat field, so if anything, his intentions would be to impede a Skynet from ever happening. He seems to think that a way to do so is actually to connect humans to the Internet and silicon processing systems, though. Seems slightly counterintuitive, in a way, though it also makes sense, in another.

Hehe, I actually do find myself agreeing with a lot of Musk's viewpoints on technology (though I cannot say I agree with most of his other opinions) and find him a very interesting character in the world of technology. This is really cool tech and could really help a lot in finding cures or ways to suppress mental illnesses and diseases. I was also just joshing around, I've been very interested in this tech for some time and it's clear Musk isn't exactly keen on creating the T1000 or Skynet as it were

 

[Vayra86]

Allegedly around 2023, when TSMC has finished launching its latest generation packaging technology. So insiders claim.

Kidding. Actually, Musk tends to side with the singularity-as-an-existential-threat field, so if anything, his intentions would be to impede a Skynet from ever happening. He seems to think that a way to do so is actually to connect humans to the Internet and silicon processing systems, though. Seems slightly counterintuitive, in a way, though it also makes sense, in another.

Basically what Musk is selling us, is the Cyborg over the AI. Or, the Matrix Agent over the Zion refugee, the blue or the red pill . It seems sensible because it would position us favorably against ever more powerful technology, in a way.

Not sure which is worse. Perhaps the more sensible route is 'enough is enough'. Limitations and regulation, like we should when it comes to climate change. The times of exponential and infinite growth are over. We're struggling and redefining to keep up with Moore's Law, things can't get infinitely smaller, etc etc etc.

The only reasonable forecast to start believing in 'net growth' again... is when Musk has actually brought us to Mars.

So, Elon, first things first. You've got lots of companies, but stick to your core business thx.

 

[windwhirl]

Scary and inspiring at the same time. As always, technology (or any kind of invention/knowledge) isn't inherently good or bad, it's all about how you use it.

Though I definitely want three things running on this: Anti-malware software, firewall and ad-blockers

 

[Raevenlord]

Basically what Musk is selling us, is the Cyborg over the AI.

The problematic here being, a Cyborg has systems that can be directly affected by the AI. "Oh, look at this amazing side-channel vulnerability that I can exploit on models BMI2000..."

Scary and inspiring at the same time. As always, technology (or any kind of invention/knowledge) isn't inherently good or bad, it's all about how you use it.

Though I definitely want three things running on this: Anti-malware software, firewall and ad-blockers

Agreed on all counts.

Don't expect the AdBlockers to do much though. Ads will be organically displayed around you as you move and look at the world.

 

[Vayra86]

The problematic here being, a Cyborg has systems that can be directly affected by the AI. "Oh, look at this amazing side-channel vulnerability that I can exploit on models BMI2000..."

Yup. So far we can't even secure an internet wired door bell, so...

Skynet it is, I'm afraid

 

[Caring1]

So is that Neura-link, or Neural-ink?
Musk needs to hire a new guy in charge of spelling.

 

[Raevenlord]

So is that Neura-link, or Neural-ink?
Musk needs to hire a new guy in charge of spelling.

I always saw it graphed as Neuralink.

 

[Caring1]

I always saw it graphed as Neuralink.

I meant phonetically, but literally it should have two L's.

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

This is just the logical outcome of a long process that began when the first seed was sown 10,000 years ago... This (including AI) is the inevitable outcome of that first step and all motivated by the same desire, namely the obsession to dominate nature.

The implications of this are much more profound and deeper than most people understand. For example, this is headed toward nanotechnology in the biomechanical medical field and let's just imagine when it's possible to repair the brain with nanotechnology and actually replace damaged parts of it with that same technology.... Now let's say you are involved in a car accident with severe head trauma and the result is that 51%, or more of your brain is repaired with that nanotechnology... If more than half of your brain is synthetic, are you still thr same person? Can you still even be considered a person? When you dream, would it be you or the nanotechnology powered by general AI dreaming?

This may sound crazy, but I'm 36 and I strongly believe that in my lifetime, we will witness such things as the first Supreme Court case deciding what it actually means to be human and what can still be considered human (predicated upon examples like I offered above). While some enthusiastically welcome the advent of "transhumanism", I prefer to understand it as the death of our humanity... The death of nature, and on levels deeper than physical reality.

Technology isn't "neutral", as some would contend, with the only determining factor being how it is used, rather every piece of technology has an inherent and embedded set of values that fundamentally alter not only the individuals relationship to that technology, but to the greater reality they exist in as well. Our existence is already inundated with vast and very real dependencies on technology which has also sacrificed our own personal autonomy to an almost priestly class of engineers and technicians we now utterly depend on to create and maintain that technology as our daily existence now relies on both. Because the vast majority of individual's skill sets are so specialized to a singular purpose, almost entirely dictated by their line of work or profession, they cannot learn and implement the many differing skills required just to exist in our technological world without needing the additional skills of technicians. Most cannot fix their own cars, so they rely on mechanics, most cannot fix their own computer (maybe not here though) so they rely on a technician... So what happens when your own body becomes one of those technologies and then you depend on a technician for your own direct survival in the most literal sense? What happens when your brain functions are disturbed or attacked and under threat from the inevitable malware that will evolve to attack these nano sized biotechnologies and now your very existence isn't just dependent on Healthcare and doctors, but biotechnologies and technicians as well? What happens when an authoritarian government (and they're seemingly all moving in such a direction) decides to more or less hold people hostage for their "good behavior" under threat of withholding access to those technicians or new firmware for that biotechnology to mitigate the ever increasing threats of malware? What happens when the state or even your employer demands and requires full access to your biotechnologies for "security purposes" and can basically access your thoughts or memories? How would the ability of law enforcement to remotely scan the biotechnology in your brain effect such things as the fourth amendment (search and seizure) and the fifth amendment (right to not self incriminate/remain silent)?

I realize it may seem like I'm getting ahead of myself, but wouldn't it be infinitely wiser to confront these issues now rather than when they're already manifested? The whole concept of AI/Skynet is the largest and most obvious threat from advancing technological progress, but even if we can guarantee that we avert or neutralize such a threat, there still exists an infinite plethora of individual issues created that when taken as a whole, have the same ability to challenge and threaten the very understanding of the foundations of our existence and our relationship to that existence.

"... somehow the project of a humanized technology has proven groundless and result-free; only technified humanity has come to pass. Technology is the embodiment of the social order it accompanies, and in its planetary advance transfers the fundamental ethos and values behind that technology. It never exists in a vacuum and is never value-neutral." - from "Twilight of the Machines" by John Zerzan

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

What! No references to Johnny Mnemonic? Been dying to see that IRL!

 

[SDR82]

Ah, I see it now...this is where it all starts...Cyberpunk 2077

 

[Gungar]

Musk is so full of shit

Musk is the king of that and way too many people fall for this guy. It's just pathetic.

 

[Vya Domus]

Musk is so full of shit

I mean if I had so much money at my disposal I'd too try some dumb ass ideas.

 

[xrobwx71]

Musk is so full of shit

How so?

 

[windwhirl]

I mean if I had so much money at my disposal I'd too try some dumb ass ideas.

"Well guys, today we have a new project in hand. We are gonna build this:"


PS: F*ck WebP.

 

[TheTechGuy1337]

Whether Musk is full of crap or not. I got give the man props for trying to push the board on topics that were science fiction for the longest time. He can be criticized for being human himself, but how many of us in this forum are trying to get people on mars or potentially cure a fatal brain injury? The answer is none.

I never really got that interested in SpaceX until the first successful launch and landing using only propulsion. That alone was like watching an episode of star trek. A reusable rocket that can land itself in the same spot it took off??? That is awesome.

 

[BumbleBee]

 

[bug]

I meant phonetically, but literally it should have two L's.

You can't trademark it if it's made up of common words

Also, I don't think it's a matter of wanting one, but, just like a smartphone, if this succeeds you won't be able to function efficiently without one.
If this works, it would make for an incredibly useful tool. Imagine you're a programmer and suffered a hand injury preventing you from typing (true story), but having one of these readily available.

 

[mak1skav]

Crying all day about how dangerous are all the AI projects from other companies and then wants to shows us that... hmmm gg Elon.

 

[Mouth of Sauron]

I don't think very highly about Elon Musk, but this technology is important.

This is far from being the first attempt to establish trans- or extracranial influence from or to the brain, various attempts are made for decades. If Elon Musk is able to provide the usable technology, well - thanks.

Rather than having dystopian views on memory scanning (can't be done, mainly because none knows how it functions in the first place), I would guess that main use would be in medicine (that's where my knowledge on topics mainly come from) - like cure for depression, which ~5% of world population is suffering from, also other neurological states or diseases. Various other medical uses come to mind (pun intended), too.

Other possibility would be direct brain control of, well... processes, something like skipping clumsy brain-hand-HMI connection with direct one. There is also huge research potential.

Surely, it *could* be used for some nefarious purpose - but again, most of the things can. Me, with 20g of kitchen salt can be preparing a nice dinner for a bunch of friends, or... [dramatic chord] killing someone by disbalancing his/her body electrolytes (true - the same thing can be done with ~10l of pot water; I don't even want to talk about various food and its lethal concentrations).

 

[goodeedidid]

Elon this isn't a Netflix show, so please just concentrate on making your cars safer.