The US military has been developing mind-reading devices for years. The goal is to create technologies that allow us to help people with brain or nervous system damage, but also enable soldiers to direct drones and other devices by thought alone, like Paul Tullis. mentioned in 2019.
Many millionaires who made their fortunes in technology have launched projects to connect human minds to computers, whether to read our minds, communicate or augment our mental capabilities. Antonio Regalado spoke to businessman Brian Johnson In 2017 he announced his plans to build a neural prosthesis to enhance human intelligence. (Since then, Johnson has embarked on a quest to keep his body as small as possible.)
We can deliver electrical impulses to the brain with headbands and hats – devices that are generally considered non-invasive. But given that they’re scrutinizing our minds and potentially changing the way we operate, maybe we need to reconsider just how invasive they really are, as I wrote In an earlier version of The Checkup.
Elon Musk’s company Neuralink has stated that it has an ultimate goal of “creating a whole-brain interface capable of linking biological and artificial intelligence more closely.” Antonio described the progress the company and its competitors had made feature that I ran into computing issue from the magazine.
When a person with an electrode implanted in his brain to treat epilepsy was accused of assaulting a police officer, law enforcement officials asked to see brain data collected by the device. The data was vindicated. It turns out that the person was having a seizure at that time. But brain data could just as easily be used to incriminate someone else I wrote In a recent edition of The Checkup.
from around the web
How do you feel about receiving messages from your doctor written by an AI? A pilot study showed that “it is possible to generate clinic letters with a high degree of veracity and humanity using ChatGPT.” (The Lancet Digital Health)
When Meredith Broussard discovered that her hospital had used AI to help diagnose her breast cancer, she explored how the technology was at odds with human doctors. It wasn’t great, it turns out. (Wired)
A Texas federal judge in a lawsuit was asked to direct the FDA to revoke its approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medical abortions. A ruling against the FDA could reduce the organization’s authority and “be disastrous for public health.” (Washington Post)
The US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a regulation that would limit the levels of six “persistent chemicals” in drinking water. Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that have been used to make products since the 1950’s. It breaks down very slowly and is found in the environment and in the blood of people and animals around the world. We still don’t know how harmful it is. (Environmental Protection Agency)
Would you pay thousands of dollars to have your jaw broken and reshaped to look like Batman? Surgery is another disturbing cosmetic trend. (GQ)