Exocortex

Transcript

1. Exocortex
   a brain-computer interface
   

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2. While [the traditional
   concept of] a cyborg has
   included artificial
   mechanical limbs,
   embedded chips and
   devices, another
   interesting concept is
   the exocortex, which is a
   brain-computer interface.
   

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3. In theory, the exocortex would be a computer-like
   processing system that would co-exist with and enhance
   the power of the human brain.
   

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4. An exocortex is a
   theoretical artificial
   external information
   processing system
   that would augment a
   brain's biological high-
   level cognitive
   processes.
   

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5. An individual's
   exocortex would be
   composed of external
   memory modules,
   processors, IO devices
   and software systems
   that would interact
   with, and augment, a
   person's biological
   brain.
   

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6. Typically this interaction
   is described as being
   conducted through a
   direct brain-computer
   interface, making these
   extensions functionally
   part of the individual's
   mind.
   

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7. Individuals with
   significant exocortices
   could be classified as
   cyborgs or transhumans.
   

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8. Specific applications
   In 1981 Steve Mann designed and built the first general
   purpose wearable computer. Later on he became one of
   the early pioneers in using wearable computers for
   augmented and computer-mediated reality. Although he
   does not refer to it as such, his personal wearable
   computer could be considered an exocortex. Running
   applications like the remembrance agent[2] on his
   wearable computer enhances his natural mental
   capabilities.
   

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9. Current applicability
   In November 1998 the specific term exocortex was
   coined by researcher Ben Houston. Houston coined the
   term to refer concisely to tightly-coupled cognition-level
   brain-computer interface technologies in the spirit of
   Licklider's and Engelbart's original visions.
   

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10. Future prospects
    If one widens the definition of an exocortex, one can see
    that computational elements are already used as
    supporting elements of biological brains, and growing
    dependence on parts of the Internet that serve cognitive
    functions has brought what could be considered a
    proto-exocortex into existence. Wikipedia itself is an
    example, as technological interfaces enable inter-brain
    co-operation on high-level cognitive tasks.
    

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11. Future prospects
    Currently, true exocortices
    remain speculative. The main
    issue is that the required
    underlying technology is yet to
    be produced by the scientific
    research fields of (1) cognitive
    neuroscience, (2) computational
    neuroscience and (3) neural
    engineering.
    

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12. References
    • http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-
    n7eWUXMm9lc/UOxlNPmz67I/AAAAAAAAFow/To6egH
    a1DnA/s1600/arnold_slipstream_sand_render.jpeg
    • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exocortex
    • http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/255/4/2/cyborg
    _by_kittana-d1c5kht.jpg
    

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