Brain–machine interfaces by Neuralink
In 2016, Elon Musk and others established the neurotechnology company Neuralink Corporation with the intention of developing implantable brain–machine interfaces (BMIs). The company’s primary focus is on the creation of technology that can be applied to the treatment of neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and brain injuries as well as to the improvement of human cognitive and physical abilities. Neuralink is developing implantable electrodes that can record and stimulate brain activity, as well as machine learning algorithms that can interpret the recorded activity, as some of its technologies. The company’s ultimate objective is to establish a seamless connection between the human brain and computers, enabling users to direct machine control and information access via thought.
Neural engineering:
VISUAL CORTEX
The part of the brain that processes visual information from the eyes is called the visual cortex. It is at the back of the brain, in the occipital lobe. The visual cortex communicates with the parietal and temporal lobes of the brain in addition to receiving input from the eye’s retina. The functions of object recognition, spatial perception, and visual attention are all carried out by the visual cortex. It is an essential component of the sensory system in the brain and is crucial to our capacity to interpret and comprehend the visual world around us.
AUDITORY CORTEX
The part of the brain that is in charge of processing auditory (sound) information is called the auditory cortex. It can be found close to the ears in the brain’s temporal lobe.
The auditory nerve, which transmits sound information to the brain from the ear, sends information to the auditory cortex.
It is in charge of sound localization, which is the process of figuring out where a sound is coming from, sound identification, which is the process of figuring out what a sound is, and language processing.
We are able to hear and comprehend the sounds around us thanks in large part to the auditory cortex, which is an essential component of the sensory system in the brain.
SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX
The part of the brain that is in charge of processing sensory information from the body is called the somatosensory cortex.
It can be found close to the top and back of the head in the parietal lobe of the brain. The somatosensory cortex sends output to other parts of the brain and receives input from sensory receptors in the skin, muscles, tendons, and other body tissues.
It is in charge of touch, pain, temperature, and body position, among other things. Our ability to sense and perceive the world around us through touch and other bodily sensations is largely dependent on the somatosensory cortex, which is an essential component of the sensory system in the brain.
MOTOR CORTEX
The part of the brain that is in charge of controlling voluntary movement is called the motor cortex. It can be found close to the top and front of the head in the frontal lobe of the brain.
The motor cortex communicates with the body’s muscles and other effector organs via input from the somatosensory cortex and other parts of the brain.
Different parts of the motor cortex control movement in particular parts of the body, and the motor cortex is organized somatotopically.
For instance, movement in the hands and arms is controlled by the motor cortex that is closest to the top of the head, while movement in the feet and legs is controlled by the motor cortex that is closest to the bottom of the head.
Our ability to move and interact with the world around us is significantly influenced by the motor cortex, which is an essential component of the motor system in the brain.
Reference By Neuralink
Type of neural engineering
There are many different types of neural engineering, which is a field that focuses on the design and development of technologies and techniques for studying, repairing, or enhancing the function of the nervous system. Some of the types of neural engineering include:
- Neural prosthetics: These are devices that are implanted in the body to replace or augment the function of a damaged or missing organ, such as a cochlear implant for hearing or a deep brain stimulator for Parkinson’s disease.
- Neural recording and stimulation: This involves the use of electrodes or other sensors to record or stimulate activity in the brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves. This can be used to study brain function, diagnose neurological conditions, or treat a variety of disorders.
- Neuroimaging: This involves the use of techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET) to create images of the brain or other parts of the nervous system.
- Neural networks and machine learning: These techniques involve the use of algorithms and computational models to simulate or analyze the function of the nervous system.
- Neural tissue engineering: This involves the use of techniques such as tissue engineering or stem cell therapy to repair or regenerate damaged or diseased tissue in the nervous system.
There are many potential benefits of neural engineering in the future. Some of the potential benefits include:
- Enhanced care for neurological conditions: A wide range of neurological conditions, including stroke, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, could be treated with neural engineering technologies and methods.
- heightened physical and mental capabilities: Human cognitive and physical abilities, such as memory, attention, and physical strength, could be improved with the help of neural engineering technologies.
- Regaining lost functionality: The technologies of neural engineering could be used to restore lost functions, like the ability to walk or hear, caused by illness or injury.
- An enhanced standard of living: By helping people with neurological disorders or disabilities regain lost function or by providing them with new ways to interact with the world around them, neural engineering technologies have the potential to enhance the quality of life for these individuals.
- Basic science advancements: The study of neural engineering has the potential to improve our understanding of how the nervous system works, which could have far-reaching effects on basic science research.
- Economic advantages: The creation of new industries and the creation of new jobs are just two potential economic outcomes of neural engineering technology implementation.
Side effects of neural engineering
The technologies of neural engineering can have negative effects, just like any other medical procedure.
The following are some of the possible negative effects of neural engineering technologies:
- Infection: Implantation of neural engineering devices like electrodes or stimulators carries a risk of infection.
- Bleeding: Surgical procedures, including the implantation of neural engineering devices, carry a risk of bleeding.
- Rejection: Implanted neural engineering devices may be rejected by the body’s immune system, resulting in inflammation and other adverse reactions.
- Failed device: The failure of a neural engineering device can occur for a variety of reasons, including mechanical failure, battery failure, or the device itself malfunctioning.
- Medication side effects include: Deep brain stimulation and other neural engineering treatments may necessitate medication use. Side effects of these medications include mood swings, nausea, and dizziness.
- Changes in thinking: Technologies for neural engineering that alter brain function may have unintended effects on cognition, such as changes in personality, memory, or attention.