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[ChouGoku]

Neuroscientists have successfully linked three monkeys’ brains using implanted electrodes and coaxed them to cooperatively control a robotic arm. Oh, and they also performed a similar experiment that directly linked the brains of four rats to test their capacity for synchronicity. (I, for one, welcome our new hive-minded, mammalian overlords.)

That monkeys can coordinate using nothing but brain-waves isn’t particularly new. This new work builds on earlier experiments that linked animals’ brains, both one at a time and in tandem, to prosthetic limbs, but it is far more sophisticated. No one has ever yoked more than two brains in such a way to accomplish a task. What’s more, the trio of mind-melded monkeys frequently did a better job at controlling the robotic arm than one monkey working alone.

Miguel Nicolelis, director of the Center for Neuroengineering at Duke University and principle investigator for the study, calls the merged minds “brainets.”

Neuroscientists are still many, many years away from linking human brains, but the research points to some tantalizing possibilities. First, such research requires sophisticated brain-computer interfaces, which, once perfected, could allow people to deftly control advanced prosthetic limbs.

Further in the future, it could also allow a group to coordinate on a difficult task without using language and its inherent barriers. By that point, we may not even need implanted electrodes to tap into a massive brainet—we may only have to slip on a simple headset to contribute our mind’s computing power.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/brain-linked-monkeys-form-super-organism-deftly-control-robotic-arm/

Ray Kurzweil says we are about 15 years away from this being a reality in humans. This says its many years away though. Humans will start to do some truly amazing things once we have access to this.

Throw poop at me if old

 

[Ishida]

 

[Duane Cunningham]

I wonder if it's like how Abby and Brittney Hensel can type on a keyboard together without verbalizing out loud despite each of them only having control of the hand on their side?

 

[Master Yoshi]

 

[Nelo Ice]

So who wants to drift and pilot a Jaeger in 15 years?!.

 

[hellmonkey]

I need to take a nap. I read the title as brain LICKED monkeys.

 

[Fireblend]

Pretty much.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Del Toro: *laughs*

 

[Alucrid]

Science has gone too far

 

[Rest]

Oh shi-

 

[rykomatsu]

That's some Borg shit right there...3 minds working as one, better than the individual...

Prepare to be assimilated

 

[Grym]

Science has gone too far

 

[Rentahamster]

Yep. Del Toro and Beacham ahead of their time.

 

[Jackpot]

No one has ever yoked more than two brains in such a way to accomplish a task. What’s more, the trio of mind-melded monkeys frequently did a better job at controlling the robotic arm than one monkey working alone.

Doing it with 3 is no more impressive than doing it with 2 (which has already been done). It's just coherent averaging of the EEG.

It should be emphasised that the monkeys unknowingly cooperated so there is no sci-fi collective consciousness. Each was trained to perform it on their own which they did. You train them well enough you can get the timings down so that they can be cued at the same time. You align the phase and the EEG signal combines constructively whilst the background noise cancels itself out.

 

[Meffer]

Doing it with 3 is no more impressive than doing it with 2 (which has already been done). It's just coherent averaging of the EEG.

It should be emphasised that the monkeys unknowingly cooperated so there is no sci-fi collective consciousness. Each was trained to perform it on their own which they did. You train them well enough you can get the timings down so that they can be cued at the same time. You align the phase and the EEG signal combines constructively whilst the background noise cancels itself out.

More minds equal better control, in a nutshell.

 

[Lightning_Roller]

Giant robots, now cooperative thought control, we are indeed in the future.

 

[triplestation]

bro i want like 8 arms

bro ladies would love that

 

[TheOMan]

Came to post Pacific Rim gifs. I am satisfied.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Check to see if these monkeys can beat Pokemon Red faster than TPP did.

 

[Delta Assault]

...put them in front of a thousand typewriters.

 

[Shaanyboi]

...put them in front of a thousand typewriters.

"'It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times'? YOU STUPID MONKEY!"

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

Now do it with crows.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

What the article didn't go into was how the monkeys all died after fighting over which one gets to masturbate with the robot arm first.

Other than that, this is seriously the coolest news I've heard all week.

 

[TangoAlphaLima]

I came for the Pacific Rim. Was not disappointed.

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

Three Simpsons nods in a row, well I'm satisfied.

So is this kind of spooky or not? I can't tell. Could govt use this thing on a large scale given enough time/advancement of this method? Just some insanely powerful neural net of linked lab grown brains controlling computer systems? Sci-Fi may have warped my perceptions on this just a tad.

 

[MattKeil]

"'It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times'? YOU STUPID MONKEY!"

"To be or not to be...that is the gazornenplatz."

 

[DiipuSurotu]

 

[ShemhazaiX]

Wait. What if HUMANS are the alien hive mind villains from every sci fi franchise ever.

...

FOR THE SWARM.

 

[Sephzilla]

So who wants to drift and pilot a Jaeger in 15 years?!.

I'm in

 

[nel e nel]

 

[kingwingin]

Does this add their intelligence? Could you combine enough monkeys to be as smart as us?

 

[Cow Mengde]

So who wants to drift and pilot a Jaeger in 15 years?!.

First Kaiju attack takes place in 2017 as I recall.

Oh guys, remember the scene early in the movie with the man experimenting controling to robot arm? Someone photoshop 3 monkeys over the man instead.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

what practical applications can this have? this sounds cruel by the way.

 

[Christine]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnGnS_sblR8

Soon.

 

[PSqueak]

what practical applications can this have? this sounds cruel by the way.

Perfectly synchronized tasks.

Backup dancers will be first in line for this.

 

[davepoobond]

what practical applications can this have? this sounds cruel by the way.

Allowing monkeys to take over the world.

 

[ShemhazaiX]

what practical applications can this have? this sounds cruel by the way.

Non verbal communication via mind linking is the main thing I can think of. Beyond that we're looking at huge applications in the cybernetics field and a potentially better understanding of how certain brain functions work. Potentially more than this, I'm not a scientist, just a layman who really likes sci fi and wikipedia.

 

[Melon Husk]

what practical applications can this have? this sounds cruel by the way.

Assembly line workers replaced not by a machine but a cluster of chimps.

Planet of the Apes and Skynet in one.

 

[John Kowalski]

what practical applications can this have? this sounds cruel by the way.

It should facilitate investigating technology that interacts deeply with the brain. And perhaps one day we'll have sex like they did in Demolition Man. Which means we'd be closer and closer to using three shells, which itself would save a lot of trees.

Preserving the environment, basically.

 

[PSqueak]

It should facilitate investigating technology that interacts deeply with the brain. And perhaps one day we'll have sex like they did in Demolition Man. Which means we'd be closer and closer to using three shells, which itself would save a lot of trees.

Preserving the environment, basically.

I don't wanna live in a future where the only restaurant franchise is taco bell :C

 

[Malreyn]

But were the monkeys also "drift compatible?"

 

[FelixOrion]

If you link up rabbits, will the chase themselves?

 

[ShemhazaiX]

It should facilitate investigating technology that interacts deeply with the brain. And perhaps one day we'll have sex like they did in Demolition Man. Which means we'd be closer and closer to using three shells, which itself would save a lot of trees.

Preserving the environment, basically.

Ok so apparently I need to watch Demolition Man. What is three shells?

 

[Crayons]

Science was a mistake, its nothing but trash.

 

[John Kowalski]

Ok so apparently I need to watch Demolition Man. What is three shells?

You mean you don't know how to use the three shells?

 

[Calabi]

And there was me criticising it for being a silly implausible method, wrong again.

But what happens when they disagree?

 

[Pai Pai Master]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnGnS_sblR8

Soon.

Lol loved that episode so much

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

And all of this will be for naught because only the rich will be able to afford it in the field of prosthetics, and linking people together for anything more than social media to, say, build infrastructure is still going to involve endless bureaucracy and be limited by public bid law

 

[ChouGoku]

And all of this will be for naught because only the rich will be able to afford it in the field of prosthetics, and linking people together for anything more than social media to, say, build infrastructure is still going to involve endless bureaucracy and be limited by public bid law

Yes technology never gets cheaper, that's why we only have multimillion dollar computers

 

[CassSept]

So Futurama's Supreme Court is indeed going to happen one day!