On August 28th, at a presentation over the Internet, Mr. Musk showed off the progress of his firm, Neuralink. The highlight was the appearance of Gertrude, a pig with a chip implanted (植入) into her brain.
Reading the brain’s electrical signals, a technique called electroencephalography (EEG), started over 100 years ago and is now routine. It generally involves placing non-invasive electrodes (非侵入式电极) on the scalp (头皮), though it sometimes requires the invasive insertion of wires into the scalp or the brain. Non-invasive EEG provides useful information, and can even be used to do things like playing computer games. Invasive EEG offers more accurate readings from the nerve cells in the brain, though at greater risk because of the surgery involved. The device Gertrude carries, known technically as a brain-computer interface (接口), carries invasiveness one stage further by making the EEG recorder a potentially permanent implant.
Along with this improved interface, Neuralink has built a robot that will implant it. To do so, the robot first takes a high-resolution scan of the recipient’s brain. Using this, it is able to sew the electrode threads into place with a precision that avoids any blood tubes in the area, which reduces the risk of damage during surgery. The robot can put the interface in place in less than an hour. General anesthesia (麻醉) is not needed for the procedure.
One challenge the firm wants to tackle is sending electrical signals into the brain. Mr. Musk says this will require a range of inputs including delicate stimulation and large amounts of currents. The point of doing so will be to establish two-way communications. This could allow entirely new areas of treatment to be explored. Besides epilepsy (癫痫) prevention, such brain stimulation might also work to treat depression. More important in the long run, it is also essential to Musk’s vision of widespread engagement between people and machines. This, he hopes, will result in a future where memories can be downloaded and stored elsewhere, and humans can form a relationship with AI that is mutually dependent and beneficial.
Not everyone is impressed. Critics worry that Neuralink is too secretive, and that Mr. Musk’s vision promises more than he can deliver. He does, though, have a record of doing what he says he is going to, despite the fact that sometimes not as rapidly as he says he will. He more or less single-handedly introduced battery-electric cars to the market and he built a successful space-rocket business out of nothing. Brains are a lot more complicated than cars, and even than rocket science. But do not bet against the coming into being at some point of the Musk vision of brains and computers working together directly.
【小题1】What can we learn about EEG?| A．EEG requires the insertion of electrodes. |
| B．Non-invasive EEG is superior in safety and speed. |
| C．Invasive EEG functions better in reading nerve cells. |
| D．EEG can be updated by using the brain-computer interface. |
| A．the advantages of using the robot |
| B．the simplicity of the procedure |
| C．the improvement of the interface |
| D．the possible risks of the surgery |
| A．Musk achieves more in brain study than in rocket science |
| B．brain stimulation is crucial for people-machine interaction |
| C．new methods of treatment have been researched and created |
| D．the firm has difficulty finding the right kind of input for brains |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Neutral. |
