Spectacular aspects of neuroelectronics2000-09-01On one hand low-intensity warfare, torture and harassments. On the other positive uses, such as helping people with serious illnesses by implanting them and remote controlling and curing their diseases. This latter aspect has such an enormous potential that it needs to be considered separately and preferably by someone with more fresh info about it then I. But lets forget about both the mentioned aspects for a while and consider what might be sarchastically described as a hedonistic application of neuroelectronics. In the 1960s experiments on brain-stimulated rats were discussed even by my school teachers. We were told that a rat masturbated uncessantly without regard to getting adequate food or water. Until it died the poor thing. This was part of a scientific experiment where the animal was able to press some kind of actuator sending a signal to electrodes in its brain. In other, less fatal experiments human beings were stimulated likewise and experienced pleasure. Clearly this has great commercial potential if it is presented and arranged in a manner suited to gain wide acceptance. Although the so called military abductions are not admitted to have existed by more than a few people among the military, it appears that there have been experiments going on for a long time, where predominantly female victims, have been subjected to influence of a sexual nature. Therefore, there is reason to beleive that the scientific experts involved in such experiments, have by now been able to determine many of the necessary factors for achieving a high degree of control over sexuality. Meaning that they know enough to be able to launch a commercially viable product or sets of services in connection with human sexuality. And completely electronic. The present evolution towards lots of wireless communication channels may be one of the prerequisites for putting it into action. In this context I deliberately disregard all potential dangers. Teilhard de Jardin's Nous-sphère comes to mind.. I wonder how much rf communication that can fill the environment and how much would be adequate to accomplish safely operating systems. Is there a problem with regard to the number of people who could be simultaneously connected?. Note that it would be possible to make it work without any remote control. However it would be much easier to customize and trim the systems as well as using them for all sorts of useful things if they have an advanced rf interface. One spectacular aspect of electronic stimulation is that it could be used for synchronising sexual pleasure experienced by a pair of people. Nature doesn't need it. It's a luxury from the point of view of procreation. But it does seem to play a role at least in peoples imagination. Further the divorce rate and the problems in getting along in such pair relations indicates that the use of such electronic aids might become quite popular in the future if the the safety problems can be solved. This discussion is not aiming to cover that aspect. We will forget about the Orwellian aspect for the moment. And neither will electronic sexuality for a single person be considered. It may certainly be commercially important, but it would be less spectacular. Here is a suggestion of how such pairwise sexual synchronization might be arranged on a high level. High level means that we don't worry about neurons and electrodes, only about the way we behave to control it. The pair would learn to control their bionic self by using emotional states or thoughts. This is what people can do without electronics. The oldfashioned way. Only, the bionic method can be controlled to such a high degree that it would be routine to achieve almost 100% success. This would be a rather drastic change from the present society where such experiences are rather exceptional. No one knows what such a world would be like. But possibly people would eat less, just like the rats. And worry less about money and material things. Appart from the spectacular aspects, there are a wide range of very useful properties connected with the body's learning processes. This includes both physical and emotional life. We will disregard cognition since there has been so much talk of science on these home pages before. The body's internal operation can be exercised automatically during sleep etc. Psychology and psychiatry will be able to, openly offer very powerful therapeutical methods, for consensual use. And there will be no serious secondary effects, which is the case for medicines. Return to Introduction |