Use Cases of Cybernetic Interface

In computers, we have hardware, the physical machine that does the processing, and software, the very thing that the hardware is processing on. In biology, the computational architecture is fundamentally different, relying on neurons and their connections with each other. It has been called “wetware”.

Cybernetic interfaces allow one to establish connection between computer hardware with the wetware of biology. The applications are endless, with tantalizing possibilities.

Our brains is a our main processing unit. Like typical computers, it has inputs and outputs. The inputs are our senses: visual, audio, skin sensations, smell, and taste

. With cybernetics, one would be able to capture and inject these senses into a person. It is the ultimate VR experience that could include all the senses. It could be the way we will be watching movies while being completely immersed in the fictional world.

Outputs of the brains allow one to affect the external world. One such output is muscular control. If it can be captured and understood, one can use it to allow people to have maximum dexterity while controlling machines. It may benefit surgeons to perform ever more precise operations, or allow a gamer to control the avatar in a more intuitive way.

Interfacing with input and output of the brain has termendous amount of commercial applications. However cybernetics will have far deeper impact on the very core of human beings, on memory, on personal identity. That’s for another post

Memory transfer

If we are bringing someone back from the dead by means of memory transfer to a new brain, synthetic or otherwise, it is best to infuse it with some kind of tranquilizer or opiates to reduce the remainder memory of trauma that caused death in the first place. It also reduces the chance of existential dread of waking up in something foreign and unfamiliar compared to the body one had for decades.

Short Term Memory for AI

In humans, short term memory and attention seem to go hand in hand. It allows one to retain enough information to solve an issue. During a conversation, it provides enough context for the back and forth discussion, instead of simple direct questions and responses.

One could imagine the technology of chat bots would benefit from a form of short term memory.

What are we?

I was listening to the .Net Rocks podcast about AI and singularities. For those interested, here’s the link: https://dotnetrocks.com/?show=1591

At some point, the question of whether a copy of me is still me was raised. The host wasn’t really sure, and the question was kind of brushed aside. My thought about that is: YES! If the copy is perfect, then the copy would experience exactly the same thoughts, same stream of consciousness as the original. In fact, we would get an interesting situation where both versions are clamoring to be the original, both wanting access to the belongings of the original.

Even if the copy is some kind synapse-for-synapse transfer to a digital media, as long as the copy is “live”, then it (?) would have the same stream of consciousness as the original, at least for the first few moments, until it figures out its gloomy predicament.

If we subscribe to the theory that consciousness and identify is nothing more than the sum of neural connections in the brain, then we have to accept that a copy of the connections would also replicate the conscious mind.

As to the question of whether the copy would still be me, I think the answer is yes… and no. I think of consciousness as an operating system, and one’s memory is the user data. Imagine we have the ability of transplanting the memory of one person into another. The person would be put to sleep, memory would be then read and inserted into another brain. Imagine being the receiver of the memory. Upon waking up, he would remember everything that happened the night before, the preparation, being put to sleep, and waking up in the new body. His consciousness would be indistinguishable from the original. You might say that: but he is clearly not the original; He is not the original HE. I would counter that consciousness is a subjective experience. The only thing that identifies two “consciousness” as being the same “person”, is memory. Inserting a person’s “user data” into a blank “operating system” will make it behave as the original system where the memory come from. And since this “system” produces a consciousness, it will experience the same streaming of consciousness as the original.

So… yes! If I can copy me. The copy would wake up, and it would be… me. Of course, there is a small detail of destroying (killing) the original. But that is not dying… right?