Comments on: singularity gets just slightly closer

singularity gets just slightly closer

jeffburdges — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 03:52:06 -0800

Italian & German researchers have created a "neuro-chip" for linking computers with mammalian neurons (A NewScientist, LiveScience, MSN). They added neuron gluing proteins to the chip to attract the sodium pores, and genetically modified the neurons to add more sodium pores.

In the short term, the work is expected to aid the pharmaceutical industry in testing the effects of drugs on neurons, assist basic research into the workings of the brain, and perhaps help treat neurological disorders. In the long term, numerous sci-fi technologies are slightly closers, such as computers with living components, useful brain implants, and Beowulf clusters of humans.

By: pax digita

pax digita — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:12:05 -0800

I know kung fu.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:18:16 -0800

Having just watched the brilliant documentary, The Corporation and knowing a little about J. Craig Venter, the former head of the Human Genome Project and synthetic genomics, I feel some deep dismay.

By: twistedonion

twistedonion — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:40:33 -0800

So, how long until I can download my conciousness to a computer and live forever?

By: Pendragon

Pendragon — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 05:30:23 -0800

and then.... Total Annihilation!!!!

By: farishta

farishta — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 05:49:21 -0800

I can't wait to transcend my biological form...

By: Dr No

Dr No — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 06:24:41 -0800

This reminds me of the telekinetic monkey.

By: Chunder

Chunder — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 07:09:00 -0800

Cool, I can have a real blue tooth... ;-)

By: allen.spaulding

allen.spaulding — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 07:17:34 -0800

There are Italian researchers?

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 07:25:41 -0800

It's a good thing that our robot overlords will be built by Italian and German researchers. This way it ensures that they will have to keep at least a few of us around for constant maintenance on their over engineered mechanics.

By: gene_machine

gene_machine — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 08:22:46 -0800

nickyskye, care to elaborate?

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 09:54:46 -0800

Well, this sounds so much better than duct taping your laptop to your forehead. Which, let's face it, is what I've been doing.

By: FormlessOne

FormlessOne — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 11:53:18 -0800

We are Trapper Keeper.

By: C.Batt

C.Batt — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 14:20:27 -0800

:sigh: The thing with the singularity is that if you can see it getting closer, it isn't the singularity. You'll only know it happened when you can see it in the rear-view mirror.

By: RTQP

RTQP — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 19:00:20 -0800

well, i can give you a criterion - if they can shut off the gene that makes me like lays' bbq potato chips (non-ruffle), i will consider the singularity to have arrived. i'd prefer not to have to suffer death, cancer, or fox news, either, but the lays' gene (P53?) is really what'll let us know. i mean... new tech saves lives first, then it gets degraded to providing crutches to lazy people with money, right?

By: ikkyu2

ikkyu2 — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 08:34:10 -0800

Greg Verdine was doing this - neuron-on-a-chip - in 1988. This is just an incremental change in the technology.