Prof. Newton Howard, a Brain and Cognitive Scientist, the former Director of the MIT Mind Machine Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and currently a Professor of Computational Neuroscience and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Oxford, where he directs the Oxford Computational Neuroscience Laboratory participates in Risk Roundup to discuss “Mind Control Technology”.
Mind Control Technology
Since the beginning of time, we humans have been creating tools to help us interact with the world around us. Now we are moving inwards and developing the tools to help us communicate with the world inside us. While the nature of tools has evolved from physical to digital, and now neural, our brain is effectively becoming the tool for interaction, communication, collaboration, and control.
From electrodes in many different shapes being implanted in the human brain to transmit and receive signals to non-invasive devices that translate brain waves into commands that control not only computer but also body parts are already becoming a reality. As a result, the thought of any technology that can be weaponized and potentially manipulate brain waves to change human behavior or control human behavior is becoming alarming. So, the question that needs to be evaluated is not whether this emerging mind-control technology can be weaponized, but when, by who, and how.
Brain-Computer Interface to Brain-Brain Interface
Each layer of cyberspace evolved our potential to connect and communicate. Cyberspace has connected aquaspace, geospace, and space and has also connected individuals and entities across nations: its government, industries, organizations, and academia. When we are now moving towards developing a brain net, understandably, there is a race to develop not only the brain-computer interface but also the brain-brain interface. While connecting our brains directly into the web looks both exciting and terrifying, it is essential to evaluate where we are going as the brain-computer interface evolves further. We must understand and assess what does this revolution in human brain-computer interface and brain-to-brain interface interaction allow us to do today, which we couldn’t do so far.
- What is the state of communication possible in the brain to the brain interface?
- Are we prepared for the outside world to get into our brains?
- How close are we to developing an ability to know what action will happen before it happens?
Integration of AI
Mind-control technology has emerged as a promising way for managing many health problems like paralysis, stroke, mental health, and more. Since much of this technology has limited accuracy and can detect only limited commands, it seems the application of artificial intelligence solves many problems. It is essential to evaluate this further:
- How is the use of AI advancing mind control technology initiatives?
- Since the AI uses a combination of the brainwaves and the sensor data to work out what to do and what will happen next, how is the interpretation achieved?
- Since mind control technologies are dual-use technologies, do we understand its security risks?
- How to design the interfaces to comply with several health and safety requirements, and also address any potential cybersecurity concerns?
For more, please watch the Risk Roundup Webcast or hear the Risk Roundup Podcast
About the Guest
Prof. Newton Howard is a Brain and Cognitive Scientist. He is the former Director of the MIT Mind Machine Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is currently a Professor of Computational Neuroscience and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Oxford, where he directs the Oxford Computational Neuroscience Laboratory.
About the Host of Risk Roundup
Jayshree Pandya (née Bhatt), the founder and chief executive officer of Risk Group LLC(www.riskgroupllc.com), is working passionately to define a new security-centric operating system for humanity. Her efforts towards building a strategic security risk analytics platform are to equip the global strategic security community with the tools and culture to collectively imagine the strategic security risks to our future and to define and design a new security-centric operating system for the future of humanity.
About Risk Roundup
Risk Roundup, a global initiative launched by Risk Group, is a security risk reporting for risks emerging from existing and emerging technologies, technology convergence, and transformation happening across cyberspace, aquaspace, geospace, and space. Risk Roundup is released in both audio (Podcast) and video (Webcast) format and is available for subscription at (Risk Group Website, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, Android, and Risk Group Professional Social Media).
About Risk Group
Risk Group LLC is a leading strategic security risk analytics platform.
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