Its funny how the video was shot from an angle that obfuscated the hot cybernetic mess that is the backside of the macaque’s skull; prudent, I suppose, because that would likely detract from the gravity of this achievement.
To be sure, this speaks volumes about the pace and maturity of our technical prowess, capable of deciphering brain activity and converting the signals into robotic actuation. No small feat indeed. But what truly fascinates is the brain’s suggested plasticity.
While our understanding is obviously deep, it is unlikely that the mapping of neural firings to precise mechanical motions are 1 to 1. This means that the brain has to adapt or meet halfway, so to speak, in order for the communication between brain and machine function properly, developing new neural pathways or firing schemes to manipulate this new appendage. Is this another indication of the brains ability to ‘rewire’ itself when trained to do so? What are the implications for addicts or those encumbered by mental illnesses? Tobacco and pharmaceutical companies rejoice.
