Promises of Neurotechnology
In the past decade, an increasingly explicit understanding of basic biological mechanisms of brain-related illnesses has produced applications that allow a direct yet noninvasive method to index and manipulate the functioning of the human nervous system. In addition, various companies are researching the potential for direct communication between the brain and machines as well as amplified cognition through such a connection.
Companies Paving the Way
1) Neuralink
- develops ultra high bandwidth brain-machine Interfaces to connect humans and computers
- founded by Elon Musk
- $151.5M In funding as of 2019
2) Kernel
- a human Intelligence company developing neuroprosthesis to mimic, repair, and Improve cognition
- $100M in funding as of 2016
3) Paradromics
- develops brain-machine interfaces that will Increase the data transmission rate between brains and computers; will enable better treatment options for neurodegenerative diseases
- $28.8M In funding as of 2019
Potential Ethical Issues
Neurotechnology raises ethical questions that are associated with what we call our “self” or “soul,” complex philosophical concepts with many presuppositions (Vogeley and Gallagher, 2011). Also, although a patient typically does remain a person after an intervention in the strict philosophical sense of the term, he or she could be left with an altered personality.
Comments