The human brain is the essence of our existence – it empowers us to live, to think and to learn. While the pure operational powers of the brain and its connected systems are immense and immeasurable, there is massive variability in functionality among individuals. Unfortunately, many people suffer from neuromuscular and sensory disorders that they were born with, developed, or sustained from an accident. These disabilities, such as blindness and paralysis, make day-to-day life extremely challenging. Many of these disabilities have been incurable, but environmental accommodations have helped these people persist. More recent technology, such as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), provide a spark of optimism towards the restorement of previously untreatable ailments. This article will delve into the sensational prospects of BCIs as well as the unnerving reservations the technology imposes. 

To analyze the ramifications of this technology, it's important to first understand what BCIs are. As the name alludes, a brain-computer interface is a computer-based system that acquires brain signals, analyzes them, and translates them into commands (Shih 2012). There are three main BCI types: invasive, partialliy-invasive and non-invasive. 

• Invasive BCIs, which involve a brain-chip being implanted into the gray matter of the brain, target repairing damaged sight and restoring functionality to paralyzed people. These brain-chips enable the direct communication between the brain and a computer or another external device (Klaes 2018). While providing the strongest neurological signals, invasive BCIs can lose their potency and signals can ultimately be lost due to scar tissue build up in response to a foreign object in the brain. Additionally, there are prominent risks associated with brain surgery, yet for some the risks are belittled by the benefit. 

• Partially-invasive BCIs require surgery to be implemented although they are not located in the gray matter of the brain, but rather the skull. The functional capacity of these are similar to that of fully-invasive BCI. As technology stands now, due to its greater longevity and similar capacity, partially invasive BCIs represent a more promising avenue toward recovering or gaining neurological functionality. There is a risk associated with the insertion of these chips yet a huge upside. Elon Musk’s company, Nueralink, boasts a partially-invasive device which Musk compares to a “Fitbit in your skull with wires” (Schumaker 2020). The device is implanted into the skull. Crazy stuff. 

• Non-invasive BCIs consist of older technologies that involve scanning devices or sensors that are mounted on caps or headbands and read brain signals. This approach is less intrusive but also reads signals less effectively because electrodes cannot be placed directly on the desired part of the brain and the skull blocks some signals (Anupama 2020). EEGs are one example of a non-invasive BCI and have been used in psychological studies to interpret electrical signals and record cognitive processes. Recreational uses of EEGs are common as seen by the Muse headband. Muse created a wearable headband that tracks electrical activity to help understand sleep patterns and help users improve the quality of their recovery. Now, that may not be a necessary gadget for everyone, but having tangible information about their own brain is certainly exciting for some.  

 The continued development of BCIs will make their prominence in all facets of life increase. Widespread brain-computer interfaces in medicine are not far off. This is a fantastic and frightening reality. While planting computer chips into human brains sounds like the beginning of an AI takeover, much good will result from the perfecting of this technology. The ethical dilemma associated with altering the brain should be eclipsed by the groundbreaking change that it can dawn on disabled individuals. As mentioned before, Elon Musk's Neuralink device has huge potential in medicinal practice. Of course, with something as perilous as planting a darn computer chip in a person’s skull, many trials and tireless efforts are required to ensure the safety of the host. Musk is confident that human trials will begin as early as later this year!

 The first Neuralink product will allow a person with paralysis to use a smartphone faster than someone using their thumbs (Musk 2021), according to a tweet from Musk in April 2021. This will improve the quality of life immensely for paraplegics as they’ll be able to follow their curiosity on the web, express their creativity through photography and art, and play video games (Patra 2021). Phenomenal. On the same thread as the previous tweet, Musk wrote, “Later versions will be able to shunt signals from Neuralinks in brain to Neuralinks in body motor/sensory neuron clusters, thus enabling, for example, paraplegics to walk again” (Musk 2021). Imagine somebody suffers a spinal cord injury and is paralyzed. The brain commands are interrupted by the injury causing a disconnect between the brain and the body. Here’s where the later version of Neuralink steps in, as the devices acting on either side of the injury connect the once disconnected signals and restore functionality. Remarkably, this product has materialized and is undergoing testing in animals. 

 While there have not been human trials of Neuralink products quite yet, successful trials in monkeys have been done. There’s a video of a monkey named Pager posted on YouTube called “Monkey Mindpong” that shows the Neuralink device in action. Pager, who has a Neuralink implant, is taught to play pong with a joystick to get a fruit smoothie reward. Throughout the exercise, the Neuralink device is reading, and decoding neuron activity associated with the hand movement, until eventually, the device can predict Pager’s intended movement in real-time based on brain signals. Later in the video, the joystick is unplugged while Pager still believes he is controlling the game, his neuron activity is being interpreted and controlling the outcome of the game. Amazingly, this telekinetic-like control is as successful at playing the game as the joystick. Seeing the device in action shows how empowering this technology will be for paraplegics. When these devices are approved and readily available, paraplegics will be empowered beyond belief. The two-piece Neuralink technology that vows to restore movement also holds substantial promise.

 In 2016, a monkey that had suffered a disabling spinal cord injury regained control over his paralyzed leg through the implementation of technology like the two-piece Neuralink product (Herdwerk 2012). The implants bridged the lost connection between the monkey’s brain and leg and the monkey was able to restore his ability to move. This unprecedented feat marks a critical moment in medical history. If this technology can provide the same restoration in humans, millions of lives will be changed. 

Amidst the thrilling promises of BCI technology is skepticism. One drawback with BCIs is the potential for them to catalyze socio-economic disparity. If these devices become available for non-medical reasons, wealthy people may opt to install them to gain a competitive advantage. This will undermine hard work and dedication and the quality that results from these life experiences – character. The lived experience is something that a computer cannot replicate and, in most cases, should not try to. Nonetheless, BCIs as medical devices will provide value that outweighs any moral dilemmas. The life-changing prospect of this technology makes its development and perfection paramount to any ethical uncertainties.

References

Anupama, H. 2020. “Brain Computer Interface and Its Types - a Study.” International Journal of Advances in Engineering & Technology.

Handwerk, Brian. 2012. “A New Wireless Brain Implant Helps Paralyzed Monkeys Walk. Humans Could Be Next.” Smithsonian Magazine. 

Klaes, Christian. 2018. “Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience.” Pp. 527–39 in Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience. Vol. 28, Handbook of  Neural Plasticity Techniques, edited by D. Manahan-Vaughan. Elsevier.

 Musk, Elon (elonmusk). “First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs.” Twitter. April 8, 2021. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1392602041025843203?s=20.

Patra, Ishan. 2021. “Musk Says Neuralink Will Enable People with Paralysis to Use Smartphones with Their Mind.” The Hindu.

Schumaker, Erin. 2020. “Elon Musk Unveils Brain Chip Implant: ‘It’s Like a Fitbit in Your Skull.’” ABC News. 

Shih, Jerry. 2012. “Brain-Computer Interfaces in Medicine.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings.