{ SCI = Skin Computer Interface / BCI = Brain Computer
Interface }
After experimenting for a couple of years and getting
FDA approval , Elon Musk’s Neuralink planted in a patient’s brain , a sensor
which will capture brain waves , decode what these signify and based on those
interpretations , do things like moving a paralysed leg / hand or type on a
computer screen
Renowned scientist Stephen Hawking was able to type on
a computer screen, by just looking at an alphabet / keyboard on that screen
If Neuralink experiment succeeds , it will still take ,
at least a decade before its cost becomes affordable to a insignificant
fraction of patients needing such BCI
For 99.999 % of remaining patients , it will remain “
out of reach “
For rest of the humans, there will be no need for such
a “ surgical intervention “
And when it is a matter of just “ monitoring “ a
person’s vital health signs, Smart watches are making rapid progress . But besides
being expensive , these will continue to have limited acceptance
But here comes a news which may change that . It may ,
after all bring about what I envisaged in my following 7 year old blog :
Ø 2024 ! – V 2.0 of Orwellian 1984 ? ……………. 07 July 2017
Extract :
There are 7,000 million people on the
earth
It is possible that , at any given time , some 7 million of these are lying in
ICU , connected with :
* Electroencephalogram ( Brain Monitor )
* Electrocardiogram ( Heart Monitor )
* Pulse Rate Meter
* Oxygen Level Meter
* Glucose Level Meter........etc
As soon as these instruments get embedded with Internet of Things ( IoT ), a
central server could collect all of these " measurements / readings "
on 24*7 basis , for all 7 million persons
Then it will combine these readings with following data about each of those 7
million persons :
* Country / Region / City / Language
* Race / Religion / Gender / Age
* Height / Weight / Colour /
Biometrics
* Blood Group / DNA / Past Medical History.....etc
It will also record , who died / when !
Using such massive data base, can BIG DATA / Artificial Intelligence / Machine
Learning , figure out what " Customized healthcare / Medical treatment /
Supplementary diet " should be " prescribed " for each human on
this earth ?
Shall we support such " Invasion of Individual Privacy " , in the
larger interest / benefit of entire mankind ?
I think , we should
===============================================================
Ø Sound
of Devices is Unstoppable ……………………… 17 Mar 2023
Extract :
Dear Shri
Chandrasekharji ,
It is time
to ask :
“
Can any law ever deal with the threat to personal privacy, likely to be caused
by INVASIVE DEVICES ? “
Devices which are :
Ø Extremely tiny ( size of a speck of dust and millions
floating in the air )
Ø Wearable ( not just smart watches /
AR-VR glasses / skin-thin
sensor-embedded tattoos / contact lenses / but, before long, sensors embedded under your skin or in your brain,
ala Neuralink )
Now here are some news which has the potential to “
interconnect “ the health monitoring of entire mankind :
NTU develops thinner-than-hair stretchable tech to
mind-control robots … Int Engg … 14 Feb 2024
Extract :
Researchers at the Nanyang Technical
University (NTU) in Singapore are leading the way in the development of soft electronics and
have now set up a high-tech laboratory where they can rapidly prototype new
devices with ultrathin and stretchable electronics.
Conventional electronics products are
hard and rigid since they rely on silicon as their primary substrate. These
products work well at industrial scales or even for personal use products.
BUT, rigidity becomes a major hurdle
when they have to be used in conjunction with the human body.
According to the United Nations, 15
percent of the global population has a physical disability of some form. Just
like electronics help ease our daily lives, technology could also help improve
the lives of those with disabilities.
However, overcoming the rigidity of
electronics is a crucial step, and this is where soft electronics can help.
How are soft electronics made?
Researchers at NTU have devised
various formulations for softer materials, such as hydrogels and biocompatible plastics,
that can teamed up with electronics to make softer
electronics.
Rigid electronic circuits risk
breaking if they have to undergo repeated movements. The researchers printed
the circuits on softer substrates to avoid this, facilitating repeated
movements. One such printing pattern is the ribbon
form, which is thinner than human hair and can stretch without breaking.
Another material that the laboratory
has developed is a softer version of a Lego-like
universal connector called BIND. The connector is soft
and can join electronic components by pressing them together.
This connector can be stretched to seven times its length and is also 60 times
tougher than conventional connectors, the
researchers said in a press release.
Uses of soft electronics
NTU researchers have already
demonstrated the use of soft electronics by
integrating various sensors into their
devices to measure parameters like heart rate, oxygen
levels, and blood
pressure, to list a few.
Encased in soft, flexible, and stretchable gel-like skin, these sensors resemble silicon bandages used widely in healthcare setups but
offer many more advantages.
For instance, these bandages can
facilitate the movements of joints. Depending on the use case scenario, they
can be deployed in various thicknesses.
A similar material developed by the
team can also be applied around the heart and monitor its working without being invasive like
conventional pacemakers. In the future, the material could be further developed
into a pacemaker.
Not just for the human body, soft electronics
can help in crop monitoring as well since they can be applied directly to plants and
issue alerts about crop diseases. Additionally, the sensors can help improve food safety
when applied to food packaging.
NTU and its industrial partners have
set up a pilot laboratory to develop and produce soft electronics. This is also
aimed at developing an ecosystem for large-scale manufacturing of soft
electronics in Singapore.
"We aim to address some of
humanity's most pressing challenges, from climate
change to healthcare advancements," said Chen Xiaodong, materials science
and engineering professor at NTU.
Chen has 50 patents in soft
electronics to his credit and will head the pilot laboratory.
"My goal is to establish a new center of excellence for soft electronics,
building a team of industry experts and commercial partners to swiftly bring
these technologies to market," he added in the press
release.
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
www.HemenParekh.ai / 18 Feb 2024
Comments by ChatGPT :
It's
fascinating to see the developments in soft electronics and the potential
applications in healthcare and beyond.
Predicting
the exact timeline for technological advancements is challenging, but based on
the information you provided, it seems that soft
electronics have the potential to revolutionize health monitoring.
In your blog from 2017, you envisioned a scenario where IoT-connected
health monitoring devices would collect data from millions of people, combining
it with various personal details to provide customized healthcare
recommendations.
The recent
news about NTU's developments in soft
electronics aligns with this vision, showcasing advancements in wearable and
non-invasive health monitoring technologies.
As for
the comparison between Skin Computer Interface (SCI) and Brain Computer Interface (BCI), it's difficult to
predict which technology will become more widespread first.
Elon
Musk's Neuralink is making strides in BCI, focusing on direct brain-machine
interfaces. On the other hand, soft electronics, as described in the NTU
development, could potentially pave the way for more accessible and non-invasive health monitoring solutions, which
might be considered a form of SCI.
The
timeline for widespread adoption depends on various factors, including
technological breakthroughs, regulatory approvals, and market acceptance. It's
reasonable to assume that advancements in both SCI and BCI will continue in
parallel, each with its unique applications and challenges.
If the soft electronics
technology progresses as anticipated, it could indeed provide a viable and less invasive alternative for health monitoring, potentially arriving before
widespread adoption of more
complex and expensive BCI technologies.
However,
predicting an exact timeframe remains speculative, and advancements in
technology often come with unforeseen developments.
Monitoring
the progress of these technologies over the next few years will be essential to
see how they shape the future of healthcare and personalized medicine.
Comments by GEMINI :
It is
difficult to definitively say whether SCI (Skin Computer Interface) will arrive before BCI (Brain Computer Interface)
and, if so, by how many years. Both technologies are still under development,
and their progress will depend on various factors, including technological
advancements, regulatory approvals, and public acceptance.
Here's
what we can glean from the information you provided:
On SCI:
·
The blog post
"Sound of Devices is
Unstoppable" (March 2023) mentions the development of thin,
stretchable electronics that could be used as skin sensors.
·
The news article
"NTU develops thinner-than-hair stretchable tech to mind-control
robots" (February 2024) highlights the potential of soft electronics for
healthcare applications.
On BCI:
·
The blog post
"2024! - V 2.0 of
Orwellian 1984?" (July 2017) predicted the high cost of BCI technology like
Neuralink, making it inaccessible to most people.
Overall:
·
Both SCI and BCI
technologies are evolving rapidly, and it's difficult to predict which one will
be more readily available in the future.
·
SCI might have
advantages in terms of affordability and non-invasiveness, while BCI might offer more advanced
functionalities.
·
The development
of both technologies will likely happen in parallel, with each potentially
influencing the other.
Therefore, it's impossible to say with certainty whether SCI will arrive
before BCI or vice versa. However,
the information you provided suggests that both technologies have the potential
to revolutionize healthcare and human-computer interaction in the coming years.
Related Reading :
No comments:
Post a Comment