Brain Implants.
Introduction
Brain implants, also known as neural implants, are technology implanting devices on surface of the brain that connects directly to the neural system. Some possible use for brain implant technology are treatment for brain disorder, restoring and enhancing of sensory system, and augmenting brain processing. In this paper, the ethical considerations of applying brain implant technology for both therapeutic and enhancement purpose will be examined.
Overview of brain implant technology Brain implant technology stimulates or receives electrical activity of nerve system through electrodes on microchip implanted on surface of brain. Stimulating brain creates fake neural signal and by stimulating right area of brain, …show more content…
In 2015 summer, worlds first bionic eye implant was made successfully. It was performed on an 80 years old British man who lost his sight due to AMD (age-related macular degeneration). He replaced his retina with bionic eye which collects data from a camera, converts the data into electrical signal, and sends signal wirelessly to the electrode that is connected to optical nerve system. The patient didn’t restored perfect eye sight, but from blind now he can see things. Other therapeutic use of brain implant is BCI (brain computer interface) technology. In 1998, 53 years old men kwon as J.R. was treated with brain implants that connects this brain activity to a computer. J.R had a brain stem stroke which caused him lock-in syndrome, a penalization of most voluntary muscles except eyes. All of his voluntary muscles were paralyzed that he wasn’t able to move any of his body parts including fingers and vocal chords. He wasn’t able to write or speak; in other words he lost ability to communicate. Drs. Roy Bakay and Phillip Kennedy of Emory University implanted electrodes to J.R.’s brain that is connected to the computer through hard-wire. Using this implants, J.R. was able to move a cursor on a computer to express himself by selecting phrases or letters. (Wolpe
Introduction
Brain implants, also known as neural implants, are technology implanting devices on surface of the brain that connects directly to the neural system. Some possible use for brain implant technology are treatment for brain disorder, restoring and enhancing of sensory system, and augmenting brain processing. In this paper, the ethical considerations of applying brain implant technology for both therapeutic and enhancement purpose will be examined.
Overview of brain implant technology Brain implant technology stimulates or receives electrical activity of nerve system through electrodes on microchip implanted on surface of brain. Stimulating brain creates fake neural signal and by stimulating right area of brain, …show more content…
In 2015 summer, worlds first bionic eye implant was made successfully. It was performed on an 80 years old British man who lost his sight due to AMD (age-related macular degeneration). He replaced his retina with bionic eye which collects data from a camera, converts the data into electrical signal, and sends signal wirelessly to the electrode that is connected to optical nerve system. The patient didn’t restored perfect eye sight, but from blind now he can see things. Other therapeutic use of brain implant is BCI (brain computer interface) technology. In 1998, 53 years old men kwon as J.R. was treated with brain implants that connects this brain activity to a computer. J.R had a brain stem stroke which caused him lock-in syndrome, a penalization of most voluntary muscles except eyes. All of his voluntary muscles were paralyzed that he wasn’t able to move any of his body parts including fingers and vocal chords. He wasn’t able to write or speak; in other words he lost ability to communicate. Drs. Roy Bakay and Phillip Kennedy of Emory University implanted electrodes to J.R.’s brain that is connected to the computer through hard-wire. Using this implants, J.R. was able to move a cursor on a computer to express himself by selecting phrases or letters. (Wolpe