Brain-Computer Interface for long-term memory management

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a field that aims to connect the human brain directly to a computer, allowing the transfer of information between the two. This technology holds tremendous potential to enhance human cognitive abilities in the future. The recent achievements of Neuralink, a startup founded by Elon Musk, have further fueled the excitement in this field. In a groundbreaking demonstration, Elon Musk showed the synchronization of a live pig’s brain with a computer, showcasing the viability of BCI technology. This demonstration is a clear indication of the tremendous potential of BCI to revolutionize the future of human-computer interaction.

Figure: Neuralink's self-contained neural implant functions without the aid of external hardware.

The below figure shows the pig streamed the electrical brain activity being registered by the device. “It’s like a Fitbit in your skull with tiny wires,” Musk said in his presentation (Ref: 2).

Figure: One of the Neuralink pigs at Musk’s online demo (Screengrab: Randi Klett)

So in the future, human would be able to control computers simply using the thought process. Thought signals can be used as a command to give instruction to computers and vice versa. The concept of thought signals being used as commands for computers and vice versa is the cornerstone of BCI technology. This will eliminate the need for physical input devices like keyboards and mice, and provide a more intuitive and efficient way of interacting with computers. With the continued development and refinement of BCI technology, humans will be able to control computers simply by thinking, leading to a more seamless and natural interaction between humans and machines.

Hence, in future we can decide whether we have to store things in our long-term memory or not. For example if a person had a terrible accident, s/he can decide whether to keep that memory or not. So how can we design this in neural level?

Illustration A tinny step: Hippocampus and frontal cortex is responsible for analyzing sensory inputs according to the current understanding of neuroscience. For example, the taste of doughnut, or a smell of a flower is stored in the brain as a signal (bits of information). This information can be retried, (even though the current technology doesn’t allow us to do it and lack of understanding of the brain activity). But this is feasible, only the time is the factor.

Figure: A schematic sketch of the long-term memory management

The above figure is a simple sketch to reach the dream of long-term memory management to enhance the human ability. This will also enhance children’s learning ability, memorizing capability, cognitive stability in general.

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