Scientists create a brain!?!?!?

news.yahoo.com...

So far the device can simultaneously carry out 16 times more operations than a normal computer transistor. Researchers suggest the invention might eventually prove able to perform roughly 1,000 times more operations than a transistor.

Creating our successor? Scary to think if something goes wrong with these experiments.

Originally posted by zephyrone
Creating our successor? Scary to think if something goes wrong with these experiments.

Oh, what's to be afraid of? Human beings are a transitional species that will bridge the gap between organic and inorganic life forms. It's inevitable. We'll make faster and smarter machines until one day we will create some that have something like a "soul." These are our children, who will make the journey to the stars that we can't because of our frail organic bodies.

Our species will fade away or die off. Possibly from disease. Certainly from manipulating our own DNA to the point where we will be something other than human.

I estimate that humanity as we know it will be essentially non-existent in less than 5,000 years. Considering we only developed about 40,000 years ago, we've had a short but busy time on the planet.

Now this is interesting! Great find!

I have stated for years that digital computing was not able to perform the operations an organic brain is capable of, mainly due to the fact that all computing power is centralized and therefore restricted. but this:


indicates that this technique is different, and the scientists involved have an understanding of the way processing power must be spread out over the entire structure.

I can't wait to see what this can lead to. Rosie form the Jetsons? Robbie the Robot? The mind boggles...

TheRedneck

great find! is this leading to the "ghost in the shell" cyberbrain? who knows, but it's a leap forward that's for sure. star and flag for you

Now this is a topic worthy of a thread.

One of my professors at uni talked about being able to do this, but she said it was 10 years in the future - 5 years ago - someone has got their arse in gear on this one!

I wait with baited breath to see the half alive machine that this technology turns into!

Originally posted by Nohup

Originally posted by zephyrone
Creating our successor? Scary to think if something goes wrong with these experiments.

Oh, what's to be afraid of? Human beings are a transitional species that will bridge the gap between organic and inorganic life forms. It's inevitable. We'll make faster and smarter machines until one day we will create some that have something like a "soul." These are our children, who will make the journey to the stars that we can't because of our frail organic bodies.

Our species will fade away or die off. Possibly from disease. Certainly from manipulating our own DNA to the point where we will be something other than human.

I estimate that humanity as we know it will be essentially non-existent in less than 5,000 years. Considering we only developed about 40,000 years ago, we've had a short but busy time on the planet.

I dissagree, I think our DNA will match our evolution and as we merge with technology we will become fully functional cyborgs. Once we are fused with technology such as nanotech then we will most likely not even die anymore. If we are going extinct I belive it has to happen in the next 1000 years and if we make it to the next 1000 years while developing better techs then I dont see much stopping our species.

Genetically manipulating ourselves into extinction doesn't seem all that likely to me because things like nano-tech will allow a smooth transition into "advanced humanoids". At that point we will be a lot different but still the same human earthlings hopefully smart enough to create whatever we can imagine.

Very interesting stuff. I see a lot of theories in responses to this thread about the direction of humanity. I think i agree most with the idea that humans will make technological advancements that will allow robots to have something akin to a soul, they'll be as our children and will move to the stars as we are unable to endure the harsh environment (or lack thereof).

Don't be so sure that nanotechnology is going to save the day. AI nanotechnology could very well be the end of humanity as well. I personally would like to see the ability to essentially copy a humans consciousness to a computer. Once they fully map (and understand) the human brain it shouldn't be too difficult to make the transfer. If this occurs, the end of humanity could be very close behind. We'll no longer need to procreate by traditional means, and death will be much easier to avoid since we won't rely on biological breakdowns.

Early days yet for all this speculation, though I've still given Nohup and SlickInfinity stars for theirs. Both are possible evolutionary outcomes for humanity. Selfishly, I prefer the second. There may be others.

But what we have here isn't a brain, though it might be the building-block from which an artificial brain is one day built. What we have here is the world's first semi-practical nanocomputing device. In the near future, we may see such devices piloting antiviral hunter-killer subs through our bloodstreams, controlling the behaviour of flies and spiders used as surveillance devices, and so on. That's fascinating enough in itself.

Great thread. This is yet another signal that the technological singularity is just around the bend. I estimate within 20 years we will have a device with equal or greater the computational power of the human brain, and even devices to integrate our consciousness with it. Once this progression is made, where the limited conscious calculation utilization of the average mind has been severely solved with technology, advances will begin to be made that would have only been possible for the non-augmented person to make in matters of years, decades, and even centuries. By the end of the century I believe all (or most) willing humans will be fully integrated with technological devices, or become cyborgs so to speak.

Nothing of which to be afraid. This is the destiny of mankind; to bridge the slow processes of biology to the quick and configurable processes of technology.

I feel like we are coming to a head with technological advances. The CERN supercollider is being tested in MAY I think. Sounds like the whole when man has reached the peak of his powers thing. They want to recreate back to the big bang. That's going to be something. Heck this brain thing is something. Good find...

There is also the potential for a Terminator type outcome. Not that I wish for it of course. But come on a species we are infantile and we and now creating a new "Form of Life" which we have the potential to lose control of.

But we will carry on no matter the cost as thats who we are a species.

Quit being scared of the future.

Asimov's 3 laws shall protect us from our own creations.

Soon they will be able to create nano's to kill cancer cells. Problem is not the technology itself but if it gets into the wrong hands. Attack a person with certain genetics or whole groups of people. The ladies at NOW get ahold of it and have it attack all with the Y- chromosone.

The Clintons sell this to the Chinese and say goodbye to gaijin. If in the near future you hear of a "virus" killing off an entire race then you will know where it started. Could be one of the "plagues" of the end times. Lots to speculate.

[edit on 12-3-2008 by zephyrone]

Originally posted by 44soulslayer
Quit being scared of the future.

Asimov's 3 laws shall protect us from our own creations.

and what about the saving ourselves from ourselves? Laws change all the time, the basis might be one thing, but they often morph to the accepted view of the time. I got all the Asimov books in my living room, and I still come to that conclusion when it comes to man's "creations"...

This is a great topic, I love futuristic speculation.

I just hope for the sake of what is current humanity that the tech we create for ourselves to defend against a mad robot isn't as intrusive as some people seem to be eluding to.

I fully believe that humans have the potential to create a sort of exoskeleton to protect our shell from the elements and some bio tech to protect our inner body from the elements. As for further inteligence perhaps the useless masses of our brains will eventually take form into new developed functionally processing mass to compensate for all the advancements. (maybe i have no clue what I am talking about however as I am no biologist)

Cool it'll make a sweet gaming rig.

You have to remember that the brain is far from understood right now, so this really isn't as great a step as you may think.

Good to hear they are working on this stuff though, computers always come along in leaps and bounds.

*Goes back to working on his 'Neurodynamics of Conciousness' presentation for tomorrow*...

*watches other members put all their eggs in one basket*

I get the feeling i'm the only one looking at how this technology could be used in a way that would revolutionise the way that modern society approaches their electronic environment.

Still, it does remind me of our incessant dependance on machines to survive, and of course our current resource problems may be an example of how this fact has basically been wafted in our face.

When we eventually do hit the oil crash hard, our dependance on machines will become painfully apparent.

I mean, practically everything we use in this day and age have some mechanical process or other - Cars, T.Vs, Computers, Phones, Guns, Bullets, Maintenence tools, Factory Robots, etc etc.

And what is the one thing that every machine needs in order to work continuously?

Oil - and of course, T.Vs, Computers and Phones - whilst not nessecarily needing Oil in order to work, impact on the issue by being made out of plastic, which we get from oil.

It would be nice to have a cyber-kinetic Arm or something, but i get the feeling that in 20 years or so, there ain't gonna be an awful lot of oil free for people to start making them.

edit: my point here is that we should find a way to use this technology to generate more resources, instead of depleting existing stockpiles.

Perhaps some sort of Energy super-computer that controls and monitors Energy created by renewable power sources, for example; Turning off the solar panels during night and turning on the wind power at night, except on a scale of which is massive.

p.s; you realise we don't actually need to turn solar panels off?

k.

[edit on 12-3-2008 by Throbber]

Very very cool. I for one, get much more excited about these topics than worried.

The possibility of using this type of technology in medicine is apparent, which is great. I don't think playing God is something we CAN do, this is all part of our evolution. Of course, many speculate that this would be the beginning of the destruction of our immune systems and physiological development, which would essentially create a whole new array of disease.

As far as oil goes, I don't think it will ever be allowed to get out of hand like some people foresee it. We have technology that trumps it already, we just need some multi-billionaire to back it, and then the remaining supply can be used for your plastics.

Here would be my one hang up. Since this technology seems to already be on its way to development, what about our own consciousness? We still know so little about our brains. How they develop. Could it be that we will create a consciousness that we will know better than our own?

Maybe I'm just trying to wax poetic.