The Fractal Brain Theory

I finally finished reading The Fractal Brain Theory by Wai Tsang, after a long slog of 2+ years. It might be the longest it's ever taken for me to read a book.

I was slowed down by the birth of my son, & having very little time to myself over the past couple years. The book is also fairly science-heavy, with a lot to conceptually chew on, so I would only read a section at a time.

The central premise of the book is that the structural organization of the brain, and therefore the mind, is "fractal"- recursive or self-similar at various scales.

To me, this is an obvious assumption, since the whole of Reality is fractal in nature. However, this is not a widely recognized characteristic of our brain. The makeup of brain & its functioning expresses similar patterns & qualities as we observe the various scales from the molecular > neural > cortical columns > overall brain.

The ultimate goal of Wai Tsang's investigations is to be able to understand how the mind works so we can create a functional A.I., a truly thinking machine. The way to do this is through a holistic understanding of all the brain's processes, which give rise to the emergent phenomenon we call "consciousness".

Of course, the answer to "How does the brain work?" is the same as the answer to "How does the Earth work?" There is no simply way to sum up all the complex cellular, chemical, & energetic functions that are taking place within the brain at any one time. It is an intricate interplay of systems and components that cannot be teased apart as easily as traditional science would have us believe - with specific areas for language, vision, memory, emotion, etc. The workings of the brain are much more intertwined and distributed than could be described by any one theory. However, Wai Tsang in this book attempts to offer a key to unlock a more integrated picture of the human brain that could help understand it more thoroughly.

Although some of the more technical aspects of the book were a bit over my head, which focused on the mathematical & programming correlations to understanding the brain's functioning, I found the ideas presented intriguing. I think the fractal approach can be applied to many different areas of inquiry. Again, since the Universe exhibits fractal qualities, the aspects of it which we are trying to understand would also exhibit these qualities, true to fractal form. Especially the brain, which is a biological instrument used to perceive the fractal Universe, would then be expected to be organized in a fractal hierarchy.

The stated goal of the book, to discover a path to developing advanced A.I., is a controversial one. There are so many areas where artificial intelligence working on a level beyond the singular or collective capabilities of the human mind would be an unimaginable benefit. However, as a fan of sci-fi such as The Matrix, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Mass Effect, I'm also very wary if the dangers that advanced thinking machines could pose. The outcome of A.I. development will depend on humankind making the right choices in the process. Therefore, we are probably completely fucked.

So, I would recommend this if you are interested in the scientific study of the brain & consciousness, and are also interested in the elegant field of fractal geometry. It's not the easiest book to read at times, but it is thought-provoking and gets the fractal cascades of mental energy flowing through the cerebral cortex.

iThink Tech 2015

In my last post, I shared a project from my college years, called the Omega Computer.

"Omega Computer" Concept

The project assignment was to design a computer of the future. Years later, I revisited the challenge of imagining futuristic computer technology & took it a step farther.

Instead of the external, portable devices used in the Omega Computer concept, I designed a computer brain implant called the "Apple iThink". You can see the specs of the iThink in my original post:

Apple iThink- Upgraded

Since I made those graphics, I've closely followed developments in science and technology that are leading toward a brain-computer interface, like the iThink.

I see technology, like my iPhone or computer, as extensions of my mind. The mystic sentiment that "consciousness is in all things" seems more true, the more I look into Reality. The Universe is made up of something more fundamental than particles or atoms- The Universe is made of information.

Human consciousness is just one manifestation of the Universal Information Field (UIF), that can manifest in infinite varieties. There is no reason why the ordinary conscious experience of the biological brain cannot be modified or enhanced to create novel states of being.

Of course, every step of the way there will be problems and questions that have to be addressed. Certain choices and directions may have unintended or negative consequences. However, I think it is inevitable for humanity to continue to seek new abilities, information, & understanding. We have uniquely mastered technology for this end, and will continue to expand both the individual and collective consciousness through technological means. Perhaps suprisingly to some, this technological innovation will be continue to be simultaneous, and perhaps symbiotic, with deeper spiritual and philosophical understanding about the nature of ourselves and our world.

I've collected links which, individually, are amazing developments. However, when seen as precursors to technologically-augmented consciousness, these scientific breakthroughs signal new frontiers in the human experience.

Time:
• 2045: Kurzweil on When Humans, Machines Merge


New Scientist:
• Cyborg Tissue is Half Living Cells, Half Electronics

Extreme Tech:
• MIT Creates Glucose Fuel Cell to power Implanted Brain-Computer interfaces

Daily Mail:
• The Groundbreaking Microscopic Thread That Could Let Us Plug Our Brain Into a Computer

Waking Times
• Decoded Neurofeedback: Matrix-like Learning With No Conscious Effort
 
Extreme Tech:
• Brown University Creates First Wireless, Implanted Brain-computer Interface

The White House:
• BRAIN Initiative Challenges Researchers to Unlock Mysteries of Human Mind

Kurzweil AI
• Organic transistors for brain mapping

Popular Mechanics:
• Going Wireless and Restoring Memories: The Incredible Future of Brain Implants

CNet:
• What Google Glass Aspires to Be

Technooccult:
• DARPA Wants to Fit Soldiers with a Little Black Box Brain Implant

The Atlantic:
•  The Not-So-Distant Future When We Can All Upgrade Our Brains

DefenseOne:
• The Military Is Building Brain Chips to Treat PTSD

The Verge:
• Google Leads $542 Million Funding of Mysterious Augmented Reality Firm Magic Leap

Techcrunch:
• The Ongoing Quest For The ‘Brain’ Chip

H+
• Biology is Technology — DARPA is Back in the Game With A Big Vision

BBC Future:
• The Code That May Treat Blindness

Smithsonian:
• A Flexible Circuit Has Been Injected Into Living Brains

Aeon:
• Hive consciousness: Do We Really Want to Fuse Our Minds Together?

Neuralink Brain-Computer Interface

Well, it took only 10 years... but technology is finally catching up with my concept for the "iThink" Apple-branded brain/computer interface.

The Neuralink tech that is being developed by Elon Musk's company uses thread-like electrodes that are embedded into the brain using a device similar to a sewing maching. The threads are implanted directly into the brain, but not directly connected to neurons.

Engadget:

Elon Musk's Neuralink Hopes to Put Sensors 

in Human Brains Next Year

This concept is truly dystopian & frightening to many people, but I think it is the next logical step in the "meta-volution" of the human mind.

As much I love the natural world and feel like it is good to disconnect from the web & devices from time to time, the organic structure of the brain will soon need to be augmented beyond the external digital tools we are currently using. The rate of digital information flow and capabilities of A.I. are just advancing too quickly for biological evolution to keep up.

Some of the abilities that could result from tech like Neuralink are:

• "Telepathic" brain-to-brain communication

• Instantaneous mathematical and scientific calculation

• Access to an unlimited databank of multi-sensory media

• Virtual or augmented reality that is directly experienced in the mind

• Expanded multi-dimensional consciousness beyond our current "single point" awareness

• Real-time language translation

• GPS combined with Google Maps to facilitate information-rich navigation

• Etc., etc., etc.

Yes, this technology has the potential for negative uses (mind hacking, unwanted advertising, inability to disconnect)... but ALL tools have that risk. This is the danger that sci-fi classics such as Star Trek's "Borg" and The Matrix have tried to warn us about. However, the same tools that could be extremely dangerous also have the potential to create amazing beauty & benefit for humanity.

As the late, great Timothy Leary said:

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"The level of intelligence has been tremendously increased, because people are thinking and communicating in terms of screens, and not in lettered books. Much of the real action is taking place in what is called cyberspace. People have learned how to boot up, activate, and transmit their brains.  

Essentially, there’s a universe inside your brain. The number of connections possible inside your brain is limitless. And as people have learned to have more managerial and direct creative access to their brains, they have also developed matrices or networks of people that communicate electronically. 

There are direct brain/computer link-ups. You can just jack yourself in and pilot your brain around in cyberspace-electronic space." 

-Timothy Leary (Chaos & Cyber Culture) 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Below is the Apple iThink concept that I envision back in 2009:

The Monkey Buddha Achives:

Apple "iThink" - Upgraded

"iThink" Tech & The Evolution of the Mind

"I hate this place. This zoo. This prison.
This Reality- whatever you want to call it,
I can't stand it any longer.
It's the smell, if there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it.
I can taste your stink and every time I do,
I fear that I've somehow been infected by it. "
-Agent Smith "The Matrix"

I have been collecting links for awhile about emerging technologies that will inevitably enhance the phenomenon that we call "human consciousness." I think that all of the advancements I'll be listing are leading to the possibility of our minds being augmented by a future technology like my conceptual "Apple iThink."

A couple things led me to finally post what I've found so far. Recently blogger Mac Tonnies passed away unexpectedly, & he was only a few years older than me at 34. His blog Posthuman Blues was a regular read of mine that I enjoyed because of the unorthodox, mind-bending content. It was a great mix of futurism, Fortean speculations, & general weirdness.

The other factor has been my current forced week-long stint at home due to illness. Nothing makes you dream of transcending the mortal confines of the flesh than being seriously sick. I started sympathizing with Agent Smith in the scene above, except he was imagining a trip in the opposite direction- from the digital realm of light into the physical world of the human body.

The mortality & existence of man has been a source of concern since the dawn of time. The Egyptians believed we were spirits of light encased in these bodies. The Gnostics imagined Reality as a type of virtual prison that confines our luminous true selves. The Taoists believe everything is just emanations of the ever-fluctuating, infinite Tao.

Of course, our experience is limited by the sensory nature of our interaction with the world. The universe of information bombarding each of us at each moment is distilled by our physical receptors & organs including the brain. What if we could transcend these limitations? Physics teaches that as a human traveling in a spaceship speeds up and approaches the speed of light, the relative experience of time slows down. However, nothing with mass can actually reach the velocity of electromagnetic energy.

I've always wondered what would happen if the functioning of the human mind were no longer constrained by the chemical & biological processes of the neural connections in the brain. If our thoughts could somehow actually travel uninhibited at the speed of light, how would it affect our perception, & would there even be any perception left as we know it? Perhaps like an inverse, large scale Bose-Einstein condensate, our mind would expand into... everything!

So with these thoughts off my mind, I'll share some fascinating discoveries that have caught my eye- myriad doors all leading to a future in which the human experience may be much different than the limited, localized reality-tunnel that each of us currently knows.

• "Mind Uploading and Mind Children"

• "MIT team develops hi-fi quantum memory"

• Artificial brain '10 years away'

• The Future of Human Enhancement

• Will We Eventually Upload Our Minds?

• Brain-to-brain communication over the Internet

• Multi-contact brain probe can be injected through a needle

• The Psychedelic Transhumanists

• Raytheon's combat simulator offers virtual action in real world

• Scientists hail a thoughtful future with ‘brain-to-brain communication’

• An Input/Output Device for the Brain - Made of Light, Algae, and Bacteria


Here's the Apple iThink concept I came up with:

Apple "iThink" - Upgraded






Apple "iThink" Technical Specifications

• Size:
1.5 x 1.5 x .5 inches

• Symbiosis™ Neural Interface:
Direct brain-computer link means your mind and computer are one!

• Intel Fusion™ Quantum Processing:
Uses the power of the atom to instantly compute at the speed of thought.

• Holographic Data Storage:
The iThink’s tiny internal holochip has a staggering individual capacity of over 666 Yottabytes (1000^8), for seemingly infinite augmented memory

• Intra-neural Communication:
Mentally allow or block any kind of signal you want to send or recieve instantly over the wireless iThink global network

• Perceptual Immersion:
Images, sound, & other data are projected virtually into your sensory fields by directly connecting into your brain’s activity

• Integrated GPS and Google Earth:
Receive directions and location information anywhere on the planet, and the ability to be located in case of an emergency

iThink Tech 2016

Back in 2008, I introduced my concept for an Apple-branded computer brain implant, the "Apple iThink".

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

Apple iThink

(Click to Enlarge)

iThink Technical Specifications

• Size:
1.5 x 1.5 x .5 inches

• Symbiosis™ Neural Interface:
Direct brain-computer link means your mind and computer are one!

• Intel Fusion™ Quantum Processing:
Uses the power of the atom to instantly compute at the speed of thought.

• Holographic Data Storage:
The iThink’s tiny internal holochip has a staggering individual capacity of over 666 Yottabytes (1000^8), for seemingly infinite augmented memory

• Intra-neural Communication:
Mentally allow or block any kind of signal you want to send or recieve instantly over the wireless iThink global network

• Perceptual Immersion: Images, sound, & other data are projected virtually into your sensory fields by directly connecting into your brain’s activity

• Integrated GPS and Google Earth:
Receive directions and location information anywhere on the planet, and the ability to be located in case of an emergency
_____________________________________

Since I originally created these graphics, I've watched technology continue to advance, as different fields converge to making such a neural implant possible.

Although there are now implants in use that allow communication by thought and remote control of software, we are still a long way off from a device that contains the many features of the iThink.

Without some cataclysmic event happening on a global scale, I don't see the progress of this kind of research ever stopping. There will always be resistance to any kind of implantable devices, and there might eventually be a "Deus Ex" scenario where humans create social distinctions based on cybernetic augmentations. There may be conflict between implant-free "Naturals," and "Enhanced" (or "Cyber") humans with neural or physiological augmentations. Any new technology, no matter how beneficial, usually brings with it slight uncertainty and the potential for misuse.

My iPhone and Mac computer are extensions of my cognitive and creative processes. I feel like these  devices are portals into the global consciousness, while simultaneously augmenting the functions of the brain. However, I often think about whether the digital techno-sphere is a trap for individual consciousness, preventing it from finding freedom in the more spiritual sense. My personal feeling is that digital technology and mobile devices are enhancements, more than they are traps. It depends on how they are used, of course, but I feel that their benefits outweigh the potential danger.

Anyway, I love to speculate on the future of humanity and the new ideas that will lead to revolutions in our world. I have been floating around ideas for even more advanced tech & features, that would be in an Apple iThink 2.0. However, seeing as we haven't come close to reaching even this stage in implantable technology, I haven't created graphics for the next version yet.

In the meantime, I've been compiling "iThink Tech"- scientific & technological advancements that are leading us down a road toward implantable computers which will interact with our brains directly, for completely immersive computing.

Here are the relevant links I've found from the past year:

 Singularity Hub:

The Brain Tech to Merge Humans and AI Is Already Being Developed

Digital Trends:

Gamers learn to control characters strictly through direct brain stimulation 

Big Think:

A New Implant is Being Developed for Enhancing Human Memory

New York Times:

Implant Eases Communication by Late-Stage ALS Patient

(Thanks to my good friend Dr. Phil for this link)

PBS Newshour:

Wireless brain implant allows paralyzed woman to communicate, but is it safe?

BoingBoing:

Neurosurgeon had brain-computer interface installed in his own head

Inhabitat:

 US govt developing brain implants that give humans the ability to never forget

BoingBoing:

Brainjacking: the future of software security for neural implants

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

"As our minds will attain the non-linear associative powers 

that will do away with the static mold of analog information,

we will finally break through the speed barrier of thought."

-rene

The Future of Apple?

I'll end my personal tribute to the legendary co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, by looking forward.

As a college student, one of my senior design projects was to design a computer of the future. This was around 2000, & our labs had the original iMacs & G4 Powermacs.  Cell phones weren't common at all & the Internet was just becoming the eminent communication & information tool it is today.

My design for a futuristic computer used a portable handheld device w/ peripherals like a touchscreen monitor w/ embedded speakers & an immersive eyepiece that that was another interface option.

I'll post the renders I made of the concept when I get around to it. Anyway, that project inspired me a few years ago to imagine an Apple-branded computer of the future, called the Apple iThink. It's been featured on websites & magazines around the world.

Apple iThink

My "iThink" concept pics & the imaginary specs are at the bottom of the post. I'm determined to update the graphics one of these days.

I've been talking to people this weekend about the impact of Steve Jobs and Apple & no one can really say for certain how the computer interface will be improved after the touchscreen. Perhaps 3D or holographic technology is the next step. However, interfaces that connect directly to the brain seem to be inevitable. Then, our thoughts may be augmented by digital systems. Maybe our memory & perceptions could even be enhanced.

Here's a list of links to stories that I think herald the coming of future devices with iThink Tech:

CNN:

The Future of Brain-controlled Devices

BBC:

Chemical computer that mimics neurons to be created

PopSci:

The World's First Commercial Brain-Computer Interface 

Wired:

Pentagon Turns to Brain Implants to Repair Damaged Minds 

Design Mind:

Envisioning Your Future in 2020

Discover:

How to Plug in a Brain

PopSci:

New Brain-Machine Interface Taps Human Smarts to Enhance Computers' Abilities

BoingBoing:

Method for wiring chips with nerve cells

MSNBC:

FDA approves computer chip for humans

Huffington Post:

IBM 'Synapse' Chips Mimic Human Brain

 

Apple "iThink" Technical Specifications

• Size:
1.5 x 1.5 x .5 inches

• Symbiosis™ Neural Interface:
Direct brain-computer link means your mind and computer are one!

• Intel Fusion™ Quantum Processing:
Uses the power of the atom to instantly compute at the speed of thought.

• Holographic Data Storage:
The iThink’s tiny internal holochip has a staggering individual capacity of over 666 Yottabytes (1000^8), for seemingly infinite augmented memory

• Intra-neural Communication:
Mentally allow or block any kind of signal you want to send or recieve instantly over the wireless iThink global network

• Perceptual Immersion:
Images, sound, & other data are projected virtually into your sensory fields by directly connecting into your brain’s activity

• Integrated GPS and Google Earth:
Receive directions and location information anywhere on the planet, and the ability to be located in case of an emergency

Everything You Need to Know About the Brain

(click to enlarge)

 

These simple, easy-to-follow charts are fun, comprehensive visual guides to the complex physical, biological structure of the brain, as well as the resulting emergent phenomena that we internally experience as sensory input and mental activity.

The functioning & processes of the brain are utterly fascinating to my brain.

I saw these infographics on r/197, but upon downloading the hi-res images & looking closely among the dense layers of information (conveyed through increasingly smaller text sizes), I was able to find the source:

http://thehighestofthemountains.com/

So, the website is very passionate about the details & facts of science, but scientific understanding is used as a means to prove the divine engineering of God, whatever that is. 

I personally feel that deeply understanding scientific ideas and discoveries should absolutely lead to a revelatory insight into the mystical nature of this endlessly intricate reality. However, I feel like biblical justifications and personifications of the deity "God the Architect/Engineer" miss the fundamental nature of existence completely. 

It's interesting that levels of genius that can create such insanely detailed displays of scientific & technical information can still look at a spiritual work such as the Bible as something that scientific endeavors exist to somehow qualify. To be fair, I have read through the site and think there's a lot of valid moral & spiritual wisdom to go along with the scientific details. I just think that the personification of God in any aspect doesn't jive with the reality of the situation- which is that Source, The-All-In-One, The Universe, Infinite Energies of Creation, Quantum Field, God, Unity just IS- there is NO motivation, purpose, nor plan behind the Universe in any sense as we humans know it... and that is the breathtaking truth that can be truly terrifying to most people. 

 There is clearly a wholly incomprehensible hierarchical pattern of fractal & holographic organization that underlies our world. My issue is with giving this Infinity attributes of our human psyche.

 "Nature is not human-hearted."
-Lao-Tzu

Speaking of incomprehensible, the first chart was just a warm-up... here is the second graphic showing the mind-bogglingly numerous pathways and processes in the brain. My brain apologizes to your brain in advance, for exposing it to this visual labyrinth of information about itself:

(click to enlarge)
 

Reality & The Brain: Interconnected Fractal Systems

I've posted alot about the fractal characteristics of the brain & The Universe which it perceives.

The Monkey Buddha Archives

Fractal Brain

Even though I'm way too squeamish about certain things to be a doctor, the body as a living system is a source of amazement for me. When you look closely at the components & functions of our bodies, on an abstract level they are fascinating.

On Reddit I saw this mesmerizing closeup photo of a living human brain, with recursive levels of blood vessels covering the surface:

 click image to see all the amazing detail

 

This seemingly random & chaotic array of organic connections is also found on the cellular scale. The brain's neurons are continually growing a biochemical network that somehow produces the phenomenon we call "consciousness":

 

Scientist finally have the technology to begin mapping the vast number of connections that make up the brain. It's obvious why the neural network couldn't be modeled before the existence of computer processing like we have today:

The external world also seems to exhibit this pattern of fractal self-similarity & connectivity, even on cosmic scales.  The Millenium Simulation modeled the connectivity of theoretical dark matter between galaxies. One the resulting visualizations is this connective network of galactic clusters:

This fractal pattern of interconnected nodes is now manifesting in mankind's most transformative invention, The Internet. The Opte Project has mapped out the Universal Mind that's being formed by the myriad connections of the World Wide Web:

We truly inhabit The Web of Maya- a light show of the mind's individual experience, created by the interplay of brain cells & the enmeshed energies that affect them.

Reality is One- 

interconnected & exhibiting self-similarity at all scales...

Visualizing Brain Activity

I'm always fascinated by the workings of biology, especially the nervous system and the brain.

I saw this cool animation that visualizes the patterns of electrical activity as neurons fire.

After looking into it, I found that the animation above is from the 'Glass Brain' project, which uses 3D visualization to map bran activity in real time.

Glass Brain Project

After seeing this, I was reading a related article about the effort to map brain activity down to the individual neurons. This is currently being used on worms with a simpler nervous system.

Daily Mail:

Researchers Reveal Incredible System 

That Can Show Neurons Firing in 3D

With this research, and the recently launched BRAIN Initiative by the US government, we will undoubtedly see increasing knowledge about this subject in the coming years, similar to the unraveling of the genome.

The human brain continues the quest to try to understand itself...

3D Model of Brain Cortex Cells

There are few technologies that have been as useful for advancing our understanding of the world as computer imaging & 3D modeling.

Using computers and software to simulate previously unknowable systems, we can visualize phenomena from the microscopic to the cosmic scale. One area where these visualizations are extremely helpful is in biology and anatomy. The human body is an extraordinary collection of parts & processes, and there are aspects of it that can only be experienced through computer simulation.

I recently saw this article about the imaging of a small slice of a mouse's brain neocortex, or gray matter.

Huffington Post:

These Stunning Images 

Will Take You On A Journey Through The Brain

The neocortex is the outer area of the brain that is responsible for complex information processing. The area of brain tissue that was studied was smaller than the cross-section of a human hair, and was sliced up into extremely thin slices. The slices were scanned & the area was reconstructed digitally, so it could be analyzed in precise detail.

The imaged area was based around two nerve cells, and included all the other cells that intersected that densely-packed space. The different cells are encoded using colors to differentiate them. The awesome thing about having a digital model is that the various elements can be separated, isolated, and manipulated to understand their different aspects.

I am fascinated by these kinds of studies and the insight they give into ourselves & the incomprehensibly complex nature of our bodies.

Here is a link to the study from Harvard University:

Cell.com

Saturated Reconstruction of a Volume of Neocortex

This short video gives a concise description of the study & the visual representations of the cortical tissue.

Neuroscience: Crammed with Connections 

 

I've previously posted about the complexity found within single one of these brain cells.

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

A Look Inside a Brain Synapse

 Reality consists of infinite layers of endless detail, that exists on all scales

Monkey Mind-Controlled Wheelchair

The interface between biological and cybernetic systems is becoming more interconnected.

I saw an article about a study that was done by Duke University, testing the integration of brain & computers. Although I disapprove of animals being used in lab experiments, this is an undeniably fascinating development.

Gizmodo:

This Monkey is Controlling a Wheelchair 

With its Mind

In this study, a monkey in an electronic wheelchair was able to navigate around a room, using an interface directly with its brain.

This will eventually lead to mechanical means of movement that will allow paralyzed people to regain movement. It will also result in unforeseen consequences of developing a brain-computer interface.

The lab of Dr. Miguel Nicolelis is also conducting experiments in rats to establish brain-to-brain sharing of sensory information, and also an interconnected "brain network".

This work is amazing & somewhat frightening in its implications. It is the groundwork for creating a technology similar to my concept for an "Apple iThink"- in which human minds are connected & augmented through electronic implants.

A Look Inside a Brain Synapse

I've always been amazed by anatomy & biology. Life is mysterious, & any explanations we may try to formulate cannot penetrate that essential Mystery.

Science is the ongoing investigation of this infinite Mystery, which gives rise to endless additional mysteries! Scientific understanding and technology (especially 3D digital imaging) allow us to explore aspects of reality that were previously inaccessible, or even unimaginable.

The brain & nervous system is especially interesting, because it it the source of our conscious experience. The video below that I saw on National Geographic is a specific look at the synapse of a neuron, or brain cell. It is from a scientific paper that maps the proteins in these synaptic connection points on the ends of each cell, that allow chemical messages to be sent through the neural network.

 click to enlarge

The mind-boggling fact is that all this complexity is packed into a single synaptic area, on a single neuron. There are billions of these cells working together at near-instant speeds to maintain our biological functions and to create the holographic sensorium in our heads called "consciousness".

As much as I love to understand and learn about the world & the universe, looking deeply into these infinitely complex features is enough to melt your brain.

 Speaking of which, here is another video that gives some basic information about the brain and neurons that is still thought-provoking. There is nothing like the brain trying to understand a video about itself.

A Closer Look at the Brain

Anatomy is a subject that becomes more amazing as you learn more about it. The brain is especially interesting, since it is the seat of our conscious mind and our sense of being.

The Monkey Buddha Archives:

The Brain

I've come across some information online that provides some deeper understanding about this vital organ & its cells.

This video from New Scientist shows the firing patterns of the individual brain cells, the neurons:

Neurons Sparkle as They Send Messages

 

 On BoingBoing, I saw this diagram of various neural cell types:

The Beautiful Shapes of Neurons

Finally, this video might not be for the squeamish, but it shows the gross anatomy of an actual brain from a medical donor. The fact that our experience is processed through this soft, wrinkled mass that fits inside our skull is, well... mind-boggling.

The Unfixed Brain

 

Creating New Senses

Our reality is defined by our sensory input- hearing, vision, taste, touch, smell, and any other signals sent from our body to our brain.

Our central nervous system is encased in blackness, & our experience of the Universe is determined by the signals sent from our sense organs.

Today I Found Out:

Humans Have a Lot More Than Five Senses

We usually don't think about the extremely limited scope of our perceptions. Human beings are only picking up on a small portion of the world around us. There are signals all around us that we are completely unaware of, without the use of tools or devices.

For example, the visual light that our eyes can see is a tiny slice of the overall electromagnetic spectrum.

Similarly, our ears only hear a certain frequency range of vibrations in the air that we perceive as sounds.

These are limitations of the senses that we do have. There is a vast amount of information that we are not equipped to sense at all.

Other forms of life have organs that can sense environmental cues to which we are totally oblivious.

• Bats use sound waves to visualize objects in 3D space for echolocation.
• Snakes can detect infrared wavelengths to sense heat signatures.
• Birds have specialized cells that detect their orientation to the planet's magnetic field.
• Bees can see ultraviolet light reflected off flowers.

Nautilus:

Seeing Electricity, Hearing Magnetism 

& Other Sensory Feats

The other night, I was watching an excellent TED talk by neuroscientist David Eagleman about using technology to augment our perception of reality, by facilitating new sensory inputs.

TED

Can we create new senses for humans?

His premise was that the brain is capable of receiving sensory data from input other than our biological sense organs. The human brain is like an extremely adaptable computer, that can interpret signals from an unlimited number of possible "plug & play" devices.

The brain has the astounding ability to take incoming data from unfamiliar sources & interpret it to help formulate an understanding of the world. Our minds are pattern-recognition systems with capabilities that we cannot even imagine. It's ironic that the brain doesn't not even know the limits of its own potential.

In the future, is inevitable that people will continue to "hack" the senses, in order to expand the human experience & understand the world in new ways.

NOVA:

Engineering Extra Senses

People are already experimenting with ways to detect new stimuli in the environment. I've seen stories about individuals embedding magnets under their skin so they can detect the strength of electromagnetic fields.

External sensing devices, neural implants, and perhaps even new biologically-engineered sense organs, will change how the mind can experience the infinite aspects of the Universe.

 

Visual Brain Implants

Being a graphic designer & visual artist, the sense I value most is my sight. Not being able to see would a nightmarish scenario to me.

Technology now exists for cameras connected to brain implants that create partial vision in blind people, bypassing the eyes & optic nerves.

The Guardian:

Brain implant restores partial vision to blind people 

Not only is the prospect of being able to tap directly into the visual cortex amazing, but it opens up a whole new aspect of cybernetic augmentation which goes beyond the "normal" senses.

What if we could "train" the brain to experience light from connected inputs that could sense the spectrum outside the visible wavelength, or even other forms of energetic emissions like Wi-Fi signals? Is there a limit to how many different "senses the brain can process?

The next step is augmented vision & other senses that I predicted in my iThink concept 10 years ago.

Apple "iThink" - Upgraded

 I think this opens up the whole idea of consciousness into new realms that people really aren't prepared to venture into. Personally, I think it's awesome technology that , and like any other tool or tech, can be used for good, evil, or neutral purposes.
 

 Deep Dream Eye

by Paul Micarelli

Neuralink Unveiling

 

Recently, tech entrepreneur, visionary, & hype-man Elon Musk publicly introduced the Neuralink technology - a brain-computer interface that will allow the mind to directly connect to machines.

Right now, the most promising aspect is the potential to help control artificial limbs or give paralyzed individuals a way to access electronic devices. However, Musk envisions direct mind-to-mind communication, or be jacked-in to a digital space in which the possibilities for cognitive enhancement are truly limitless.

 The smartphone & portable digital devices have revolutionized our personal and social experiences, just as the development of computers did before them. This is clearly the next step in human technological evolution, whether everyone is ready for it or not. 

As with any new tool or system, there are unforeseen positive and negative consequences that will arise as a result. In many ways it will advance human consciousness beyond anything we can imagine. We currently have the entire catalog of human knowledge at our fingertips, but perhaps we will be able to access it on multiple streams at the speed of thought. On the flip side, this kind of human augmentation will likely segment society in even more extreme ways than social media and other digital tech is doing today.

This article from Wired presented some good insight into what Neuralink offers now, what is possible in the future, and what difficult issues researchers face in advancing the technology.

WIRED:

Neuralink Is Impressive Tech, Wrapped in Musk Hype

The largest hurdle in fully realizing the potential of this technology is our limited understanding of the brain/mind itself. I am currently reading "The Fractal Brain Theory" by Wai Tsang and it is a technically immersive look into the complexities of the brain's architecture at various scales, and how they intermesh together.

I think the progression of this technology to completely integrated neural circuitry is inevitable. Although it has not fulfilled my vision of an "Apple iThink" implant that I presented over 10 years ago, the road is clearly being paved in that direction.

Apple "iThink" Concept- in MacLife!

(click to enlarge)

It is always cool to see any of my work published, but I was really excited when an editor at the magazine MacLife contacted me - & wanted to include a concept that I created for fun in one of their issues. They ended up publishing my letter, "Future Influencers", and both images!

Unfortunately, I didn't get my hands on a print copy of the magazine, but here is a link to the digital edition that I came across recently:

MacLife
Photo of the Month - "iThink"
February 2009 pgs. 10-12

A year or two ago, I put together some graphics for a concept that I had floating around in my head for awhile: an Apple-branded computer w/ a brain interface, that I dubbed the "iThink".

I am re-posting the 'specs' and the artwork at the bottom of this article. Here is a link to my previous entry where I improved the graphics a little:

Monkeybuddha.com:
Apple iThink-Upgraded

I have seen others comment online about this idea from around the world, which itself is amazing to me. Ex. (1) (2) (3)

People's views have ranged from very enthusiastic to completely horrified at the possibility of our brains being directly connected to The Machines. As one girl I know exclaimed when she saw it, "You thought of this?... My God, you're the enemy!!!" For some reason, I was totally amused by this reaction.

Regardless of how one feels about the inevitable progression of technology, digital-neural interfaces are becoming more of a reality- even since I first posted the original artwork. I saw the following article linked on Monochrom & realized I might not have been all that far-sighted:

Scientific American
"Plug and Play:
Researchers Expand Clinical Study
of Neural Interface Brain Implant"

So here is the iThink, presented again in light of it's print debut in MacLife (as well as the impending Singularity).

click to enlarge

iThink Technical Specifications

• Size:
1.5 x 1.5 x .5 inches

• Symbiosis™ Neural Interface:
Direct brain-computer link means your mind and computer are one!

• Intel Fusion™ Quantum Processing:
Uses the power of the atom to instantly compute at the speed of thought.

• Holographic Data Storage:
The iThink’s tiny internal holochip has a staggering individual capacity of over 666 Yottabytes (1000^8), for seemingly infinite augmented memory

• Intra-neural Communication:
Mentally allow or block any kind of signal you want to send or recieve instantly over the wireless iThink global network

• Perceptual Immersion:
Images, sound, & other data are projected virtually into your sensory fields by directly connecting into your brain’s activity

• Integrated GPS and Google Earth:
Receive directions and location information anywhere on the planet, and the ability to be located in case of an emergency


*My favorite web comment so far:
"This looks much more congenial than the long anticipated converted pneumatic cattle dropper designed to stuff an rs-232 micro socket somewhere above the hairline. And it appears to be short range wireless, which eliminates any need for hygienic socket maintenance. Bravo puppet masters! Soon we’ll all be dancing around like multi-mode idiot savants, knowing all while aware of nothing! Can’t wait for my turn up on the rack."