Computers With Neural Signals example essay topic

In the classic science-fiction movie Forbidden Planet, space travelers from Earth land on a distant planet, where they encounter the remnants of a technologically advanced civilization. Even though they are not from this distant planet, the space travelers are able to communicate with one of the alien computers. They do this by connecting themselves to glowing head probes. By doing this the space traveler's thoughts and feelings are directly conveyed to the alien computer over a neural link. In the science-fiction movie The Matrix, the world is run by machines that use humans as batteries so sustain themselves. A group of humans brake the grip of the machines and begin to wage a war on their metallic oppressors.

These people are able to fight the machines with the help of computers. Each one of these people has a jack in the back of his or her head that is connected to a computer. By doing this, the people are able to turn their thoughts, such as dodging bullets and knowing Kung-Fu, into reality. The idea of people having their minds linked to computers has appeared throughout works of science-fiction. The way this idea works is very simple. A person thinks of a command and the computer immediately responds.

"Thought recognition would be the ultimate computer interface, the machine acting a san extension of the human nervous system itself". (Lusted, Hugh S. and Knapp, R. Benjamin Controlling Computers with Neural Signals Scientific American, October 1996) This technology would prove very useful for people with neuromuscular handicaps. The purpose of this paper is to show how controlling computers with neural signals will help make life easier for people with handicaps and how it will affect the future. Computer technology has advanced considerably in the last forty years.

Even with all these advances, constructing a versatile neural junction between a human brain and an electronic one remains a formidable challenge. (Lusted, Hugh S. and Knapp, R. Benjamin Controlling Computers with Neural Signals Scientific American, October 1996) Attempts to tie the nervous system to external electronic circuits are, however, well worth pursuing. The results may provide means for effortless communication with computers. The closest thing to computer thought recognition right now is voice recognition. Voice recognition software has been in development since the 1950's.

This software has been available and affordable for the past three or four years to the general public. The purpose of voice recognition software is to allow the user to dictate words into a microphone that are transformed into either text for word processing or commands for navigation, without the use of a keyboard. (Communication Technology for Disabled Persons. Erich E. Sutter in Handbook of AmyotrophicLateral Sclerosis. Edited by Richard Alan Smith. Marcel Dekker, 1992) This is helpful for physically-challenged users that are unable to use a keyboard.

It is also a time saver for people with poor typing skills. Computer thought recognition is more complicated than just linking the human brain with a computer. That statement isa very crude way of explaining this idea. As you may already know, the electrical nature of the human nervous system -- the basis for direct neural control of computers -- has been recognized for more than a century. In 1849, the German physiologist Emil Heinrich Du Bois-Reymond, first reported the detection of minute electrical discharges created by the contraction of the muscles in his arms. (Lusted, Hugh S. and Knapp, R. Benjamin Controlling Computers with Neural Signals Scientific American, October 1996) He made these observations using a primitive device for measuring voltages called a galvanometer.

Galvanometers are used with direct current are most commonly of the D'Arsonval type. A small coil of fine wire held by two springs is pivoted between a pole of a permanent magnate. The current moving through the wire causes the coil to develop a magnetic field of its own, which makes it rotate with respect to the magnate. (Galvanometer web A. html) Du Bois-Reymond attached the wire of this instrument to his body using pieces of saline-soaked blotting paper to keep electrical resistance in the connection to a minimum. He soon realized that the skin was like a barrier to the basic muscle signals. To get past this problem, DuBois-Reymond induced a blister on each one of his arms.

He then removed the skin and placed the paper electrode within the wounds. He was then able to capture electrical signals that were about thirty times stronger than those he could obtain with the skin intact. Given these early investigations a foundation was built for a technique that serves well today to monitor muscle contractions. Modern silver chloride electrodes and sensitive electronic amplifier's, small muscle impulses -- provide easily those muted by passage through the skin -- provide easily registered voltages. (Lusted, Hugh S. and Knapp, R. Benjamin Controlling Computers with Neural Signals Scientific American, October 1996) This phenomenon was first exploited by medical researchers during the 1970's to devise mechanized prostheses that could operate by sensing muscle contractions. Other scientists realized that electrical impulses from active muscle fibers could also help people who suffered from diseases or injuries that left them too weak to move any of their limbs.

The only thing they needed was to have electrodes placed near unimpaired muscles. Following that strategy, even profoundly handicapped individuals can manipulate electronic equipment with the electrical signal from muscles (called an, or EMG, a name borrowed from the term for a paper tracing of such impulses). But you cannot simply attach EMG sensors to a person " skin and plug the wires into the back of a computer. The task requires specialized circuits and software to analyze and interpret the pattern of muscle impulses. To assist others involved in these efforts, we have designed equipment to serve asa general-purpose interface between a computer and the body's various electrical signals. This creation was called the the Biomuse.

Biomuse was created by Stanford researchers R. Benjamin Knapp and Hugh S. Lusted. The muscle impulses cannot just be sent to the computer, they have to be translated to a more appropriate form. Then the computer begins with the amplification of the raw signals sent by the electrodes, which increasing these voltages by ten thousand. There are other circuits that convert the amplified EMG signals to digital forms.

Marcel Dekker, 1992) There is another way of controlling computers without your hands. Another electrical phenomenon of the human body is the corneal-retinal potential. A signal rises from the retina, which exhibits a negative voltage compared to the cornea. The eye is basically a weak electric battery. When the eyes shift in orientation, tiny voltage fluctuations arise on a person's face. These impulses are called signals or EOG.

Previously, EOG was merely used to record the overall motion of the eyes. With the proper arrangement of electrodes, EOG voltages will vary proportionally with eye rotations over a range of about thirty degrees from center. By 1990, several research groups reported some success in using this method to move a computer cursor. Skeptics argued that electrical "noise " would make this approach unworkable. Against the beliefs of skeptics, a way to eliminate the interference and construct a practical device for controlling computers.

The same system for finding muscle signals was used in this procedure. The only difference was that the apparatus was configured to be an EOG monitor. The EOG analyzer begins by amplifying and digitizing the voltages obtained by several electrodes. This technique is similar to that of EMG processing. The system then applies so-called fuzzy logic to discriminate between true eye movement and electrode drift. (fuzzy logic by Bart Koko and Satoru Is aka; Scientific American, July 1993) With this revolutionary technology, great accomplishments can be made to help individuals with handicap. Christopher Reeves after suffering an accident on horseback, has been left a quadriplegic.

Because he is unable to move his body, Mr. Reeves is unable to use a computer. This technology can enable him to control a computer cursor with his eyes. Using a"visual keyboard", he will be able to type out messages. Institutions dedicated to the rehabilitation of paralysis victims use the "visual keyboards". This software displays a standard typewriter keyboard. Using only eye movements, an operator can select letters from the keys presented on the screen.

This technology is also helping in the field of medicine. Doctors at Stanford University have develop a way to adjust fiber-optic cameras used during endoscopic surgery. The EOG device allows a doctor to change the cameras view with eye movement, while he or she is performing surgery. As this technology evolves, we can only imagine the accomplishments it can bring in the future. Because the human brain can hold an infinite amount of memory, future generations may be able to download all the information on Earth into their brain. Thus, humanity would be in a state of peace as everyone would have equal information.

In the future, individuals who have lost limbs will be able to obtain new ones. The only difference is, they will be able to control these bionic limbs asif they were born with them. Also, they may be able to feel sensation on these limbs. This idea is similar to the scene in the movie The Empire Strikes Back, where Luke Skywalker is able to feel the robot pinch his bionic hand.

Additionally, individuals who were born without sight or have in their lifetime lost their sight, maybe able to receive bionic eyes which will allow them to see. The technology can also help in the fight against crime. Convicted felons just released from jail can be implanted with tracking devices. Then they could be monitored by the police via satellite. The negativity of this technology could be grave. It could give way to new types of international terrorism.

Imagine that terrorists would be able to detonate bombs from thousands of miles away with only a mere thought. Governments could use the technology to control humans, thus forming a sub-species of mindless slaves. World leaders would be able to launch a nuclear holocaust with a thought, while they were performing a simple task like grocery shopping. Work Cited An EEG-Based Brain-Computer Interface for Cursor Control. J.R. Wol paw, D.J. McFarland, G.W. Neat and C.A. Forneris in Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, Vol. 78, No. 3, pages 252-259; March 1991 Bio controllers for the Physically Disabled: A Direct Link from Nervous System to Computer. R.B. Knapp and H.S. Lusted in Virtual Realty and Persons with Disabilities: Proceedings. Edited by H.J. Murphy.

California State University, 1992 Biomuse (Oct. 28, 1998) Communication Technology for Disabled Persons. Marcel Dekker, 1992 Galvanometer Knapp, R.B. and Lusted, H.S. Virtual Reality and Persons with Disabilities: Proceedings ed. Murphy, H.J. California State University, 1992 Lusted, Hugh S. and Knapp, R. Benjamin Controlling Computers with Neural Signals Scientific American (Oct. 1996) Medical Instrumentation, Applicaiton and Design. Edited by John G. Webster. Houghton Mifflin. 1992 Noff singer, Stephen G. Computer Voice Recognition Software an Aid to Forensic Psychiatrist (Sept.

1998).