The human brain is one of the most complex and mysterious organs in the human body, and countless scientists have worked hard to uncover the tip of the iceberg.
The 21st century is the age of brain science. To further understand the brain, the study of brain activity is in full swing, with a gold rush in academia and the business world. Scientific American magazine in recent report pointed out that in 2018, scientists will continue to deep ploughing in the field of brain science, the field the most anticipated three technology of nerve dust and mini brain, brain type.
Nerve dust: a bridge between neurons and the external digital world
In January 2016, the department of defense advanced research projects agency (DARPA), announced a $65 million investment to carry out the "neural engineering system design" (NESD) project aims to develop a can realize accurate communication between the brain and the digital world of embedded system. This interface converts electrochemical signals from neurons in the brain to 0 and 1 in the information technology language. The study is expected to increase scientists' understanding of the basics of vision, hearing and language, and eventually lead to new treatments for neuro-deficient patients.
The first step in the program is to monitor the electrochemical signals of neurons. The agency said it would be enough if it could monitor an electrochemical signal of one million neurons at a time. To this end, scientists are studying at brown university in the us contains electrode of the size of a grain of "particles" (neurograin), to detect neuron discharge and so on, all this through the radio frequency antenna.
"Neural dust," developed by Michael mahabius, a professor of engineering and computer science at the university of California, Berkeley, has done just that. In 2016, he and his colleagues reported in a study of rats that these tiny wireless devices could monitor the "every move" of neurons. The team's leading scientists have joined Neuralink, a start-up of elon musk, the leader of a growing number of brain science start-ups.
Now, the mahabius team is trying to get the "nerve dust" to receive external signals and to allow neurons to discharge in a particular way. This "neural dust will be the smallest stimulator ever developed," mahabius said.
Eventually, the scientists hope to get neural code from the device -- for example, the exact code needed to transmit the device to a paralyzed patient. They are also deciphering the neural code that understands spoken language. While the research may raise ethical questions, experts say such problems are not uncommon in the field of neuroscience.
Brain type: converts thought into text.
Mr Musk is certainly not the only billionaire with an interest in the human brain. Facebook is also pushing ahead with its "silent speech" plan.
The project director, a neuroscientist at the marc shave le said, few people use voice assistant at work, because people don't like to speak loudly in front of others published content they want. But if you can type directly from the brain, you can quickly turn your thoughts into text without having to say it. What's more, early tests tell us that this is not just science fiction. "There's a signal there, you can use it," he said.
Facebook's advanced technology center has been running "minddriven typing" for two years. In 2016, he left Johns Hopkins university to join the team. In 2018, the project is expected to speed up to 100 words per minute, translating ideas into text 20 times faster than the current brain-machine interface. It is reported that the current "mind-typing" record is 8 words per minute and requires the use of implanted electrodes.
In order to reach his goal, he says, his team will be both. A team dedicated to developing non-invasive techniques that can read high-quality neural data; The other team is devoted to brain science, especially to better understand language and expression mechanisms.
Human brain organ: slowly tear off the "mini" label.
Five years ago, scientists in Austria found a way to grow human brain tissue using stem cells. Now, many scientists are using human stem cells to create 3 d class organs, these classes can success to neurons, the cerebral cortex, organs, and other simulation structure of full-size organs.
The technology to make brain organs develops very quickly, and in December 2017, researchers started the process by just weeks, not months, to create brain organs. We have reason to expect a more realistic breakthrough in 2018.
Brain organs are important for studying brain and brain diseases. For example, brain organs made from stem cells from patients with inherited mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, are expected to reveal what is wrong with the brain development of these patients.
Still, the scientists point out that what is really worth looking forward to is the following two technological advances. One is to give blood to the organs, and George church of harvard has done that, but has not published his research. "Blood vessels" can make the brain organ class about a quarter of an inch in diameter from the current becomes larger, may let it get rid of the "mini" label, become a real mature laboratory to cultivate the brain.
The second is to give the brain a sensory input (or permission to pass through the retina), and there are rumours that a laboratory has succeeded. In theory, this could give these tiny brain organs an experience.
As a new frontier of science and technology, brain science is not only about human health and well-being, but also about future productivity, which is expected to profoundly change society. 2018 May be a time of miracles.