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All I can say is WOW WOW WOW WOW bring it on NOW baby!
"In Los Angeles, neuroscientist Theodore Berger, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, has developed the first artificial brain part, a hippocampus to help people with Alzheimer's form new memories. Information would come into the brain the same way, but would be re-routed to a computer chip -- bypassing the damaged area of the hippocampus."
Source: Ivanhoe First to Know Bulletin
http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=13676
Reported May 10, 2006
High-Tech Humans: Brainy Ideas (Part 2 of 3)
http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=13676
Reported May 10, 2006
High-Tech Humans: Brainy Ideas (Part 2 of 3)
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Alzheimer's, stroke, Parkinson's
and epilepsy are all diseases that would benefit from a new brain ... or at
least brain part. The "superhuman" is about to become reality.
The future of the human race is about to take a turn.
"I think all human beings have wanted to be better than well. We have always
wanted to transcend the limitations of the human condition," World
Transhumanist Association Executive Director James Hughes, Ph.D., tells
Ivanhoe.
He believes the world is headed for a superhuman future. "We have continued
to invent new technologies, to extend the reach of the human body, new tools
and new ways of modifying the way the body works."
In Los Angeles, neuroscientist Theodore Berger, Ph.D., of the University of
Southern California, Los Angeles, has developed the first artificial brain
part, a hippocampus to help people with Alzheimer's form new memories.
He tells Ivanhoe, "There's no reason why we can't think in terms of
artificial brain parts in the same way we can think in terms of artificial
eyes and artificial ears."
Information would come into the brain the same way, but would be re-routed
to a computer chip -- bypassing the damaged area of the hippocampus.
"What we're hoping to do is replace at least enough of that function, so
there's a significant improvement in the quality of life," Berger says. He
says the technology could also help stroke, epilepsy and Parkinson's
patients.
Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Vision Researcher Jay Neitz,
Ph.D., is also on the super-human frontier. "Since we are human beings and
we like to try new things, we could say, 'Wow, wouldn't it be cool if we had
a whole other dimension of vision?'"
Primates and humans have three photoreceptors and can see four basic colors,
red, green, blue and yellow. Here's a newsflash: birds, fish and reptiles
have four photoreceptors
"It is clear that it does allow them to see things that we cannot see,"
Neitz says. "They must have this whole extra dimension of color that we miss
out on."
He is studying gene therapy to give humans that extra dimension. By
injecting modified genes directly into the eyes of colorblind monkeys, he
expects to turn their world into technicolor.
"It's hard to imagine that you would even know what it would be like to have
this extra dimension of vision," he says.
By combining them, Neitz says we could see ultraviolet, infrared and all the
new shades. "I personally, I like the idea of being able to make ourselves
better," he says.
Hughes agrees.I think this is an intrinsic part of human nature, of the
human condition that we see that we are limited. We live in a limited world,
and we are trying to push beyond those limits," he says.
Now, it's up to technology to see how far beyond those limits we can go.
Dr. Neitz says within a few years, gene therapy could be a real treatment
for colorblind people.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by
e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to:
http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Transhumanist Association
James Hughes, PhD
james.hughes@...
Artificial Brain
Theodore Berger, PhD
berger@...
Better Vision
Toranj Marphetia
(414) 456-4700
and epilepsy are all diseases that would benefit from a new brain ... or at
least brain part. The "superhuman" is about to become reality.
The future of the human race is about to take a turn.
"I think all human beings have wanted to be better than well. We have always
wanted to transcend the limitations of the human condition," World
Transhumanist Association Executive Director James Hughes, Ph.D., tells
Ivanhoe.
He believes the world is headed for a superhuman future. "We have continued
to invent new technologies, to extend the reach of the human body, new tools
and new ways of modifying the way the body works."
In Los Angeles, neuroscientist Theodore Berger, Ph.D., of the University of
Southern California, Los Angeles, has developed the first artificial brain
part, a hippocampus to help people with Alzheimer's form new memories.
He tells Ivanhoe, "There's no reason why we can't think in terms of
artificial brain parts in the same way we can think in terms of artificial
eyes and artificial ears."
Information would come into the brain the same way, but would be re-routed
to a computer chip -- bypassing the damaged area of the hippocampus.
"What we're hoping to do is replace at least enough of that function, so
there's a significant improvement in the quality of life," Berger says. He
says the technology could also help stroke, epilepsy and Parkinson's
patients.
Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Vision Researcher Jay Neitz,
Ph.D., is also on the super-human frontier. "Since we are human beings and
we like to try new things, we could say, 'Wow, wouldn't it be cool if we had
a whole other dimension of vision?'"
Primates and humans have three photoreceptors and can see four basic colors,
red, green, blue and yellow. Here's a newsflash: birds, fish and reptiles
have four photoreceptors
"It is clear that it does allow them to see things that we cannot see,"
Neitz says. "They must have this whole extra dimension of color that we miss
out on."
He is studying gene therapy to give humans that extra dimension. By
injecting modified genes directly into the eyes of colorblind monkeys, he
expects to turn their world into technicolor.
"It's hard to imagine that you would even know what it would be like to have
this extra dimension of vision," he says.
By combining them, Neitz says we could see ultraviolet, infrared and all the
new shades. "I personally, I like the idea of being able to make ourselves
better," he says.
Hughes agrees.I think this is an intrinsic part of human nature, of the
human condition that we see that we are limited. We live in a limited world,
and we are trying to push beyond those limits," he says.
Now, it's up to technology to see how far beyond those limits we can go.
Dr. Neitz says within a few years, gene therapy could be a real treatment
for colorblind people.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by
e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to:
http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
If you would like more information, please contact:
Transhumanist Association
James Hughes, PhD
james.hughes@...
Artificial Brain
Theodore Berger, PhD
berger@...
Better Vision
Toranj Marphetia
(414) 456-4700
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