One step closer to being cyborgs...

[Flying Piggy]

source: NewScientist.com news service
Information has been stored in live neurons for the first time, bringing closer the creation of \"cyborg\" computer chips that combine electronic circuits with human cells.

Networks of cultured neurons are known to spontaneously fire in specific patterns. Researchers have previously attempted to program these neural networks with new patterns, representing bits of information, by electrically stimulating individual cells. However, such zapping disrupts their spontaneous firing patterns, and for a network to successfully store information new firing patterns must be imprinted without erasing the old.

Now Itay Baruchi and Eshel Ben-Jacob of Tel Aviv University in Israel have taught new firing patterns to a network of neurons by targeting specific points of the network with a chemical called picrotoxin. The new patterns lasted for up to two days without harming the pre-existing firing patterns (Physical Review Letters E, DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.75.050901). \"You can think of it like a Christmas tree with lights that flicker,\" says Ben-Jacob. \"We imprinted another pattern of lights on top of the original.\"

Many believe that complex patterns of neuronal firing are templates for memory, which the brain uses when storing information. Imprinting such \"memories\" on artificial neural networks provides a potential way to develop cyborg chips, says Ben-Jacob. These would be useful for monitoring biological systems like the brain and blood since, being human, they would respond to the same chemicals.

Discuss .

[Relz]

psh, Im already a borg of the cy.

[holy.concept]

Well, Relz I'm a cy of the borg.

Pwnt

[Relz]

Well, Relz I'm a cy of the borg.

Pwnt

my names purple. I win.

but ontopic: thats pretty cool(or, what I understood was)

[Flying Piggy]

Yeah , i would be quite happy to have hard memory (read a book and remember every single word and never forget a password again) .

[WoWLegend]

woot! no more studying hard for exams! :P

[Obex]

Eh well i broke my arm severly i broke all the bones bettween my wrist and my elbow including my elbow i now have mettle plates screwed onto my bone to sustitute the damage so if you look at the bones bettween wrist and elbow over 1/3 is now mettel and i have massive scarring so im part borg anyway

You will be asimulated

[Glynbeard]

Oh damn, does this mean that Arnold Swarchnager is gonna be running by my house any day now yelling 'You will be TERMINATED'??!1

[Fuzz]

If anyone has seen Ghost in the Shell, what if it was like that, and people could 'hack' other people? That would be a huge downfall of being a cyborg.

[Obex]

I have seen ghost in the shell 1 and 2 and the 1 seison of the tv serise and and i see your point but the second movie made absalotly no sence what so ever

Arnold shwarzenegger is now the mayor of califorina so no he wont kill us but id pay to see it if it did happen

[Relz]

If anyone has seen Ghost in the Shell, what if it was like that, and people could 'hack' other people? That would be a huge downfall of being a cyborg.

Life is not an anime. Your eyes arent 12 inches. You arent 3feet tall when your an adult. Rice isnt life.

[REDACTEDSEPHI]

That pretty sweet.

[Fuzz]

Life is not an anime. Your eyes arent 12 inches. You arent 3feet tall when your an adult. Rice isnt life.

Uhh, ok?

[Koliho]

Guess it will be cool, no more hospital.

[Fuzz]

Goodby hospital, hello auto repair shop.