Beam Me Up, Scotty
Sometimes the only thing stranger than science fiction is science fact.
Some of the strangest facts coming out of science today involve the use of machines to
assist the disabled to improve their quality of life. These range from simple prosthetics,
such as limb replacements, all the way to neural implants. Scientists are now working on
methods to restore a limited but useful visual sense to the profoundly blind. The cortical
visual neuroprosthetic device would consist of a video encoder, signal-processing
circuitry, and a means of applying the signal through an implanted array. In layman’s
terms, by placing the electrode array in contact with the vision centers of the brain and
then providing stimuli from the camera, limited vision may be restored.
Another method of restoring limited vision involves ocular implants, which are placed
directly on the retina, that feed optical signals into the nervous system at the point at
which they normally originate. The system is easier to install and can be attached to the
retina using standard ophthalmic surgical techniques.
Eyes aren’t the only organs drawing attention. Some researchers are investigating
a combination microphone/earphone that can sense vibration in the bones of the head and
translate them into meaningful commands. Not only could someone communicate verbally
without making a sound, but external interference, such as noise and static, would be kept
to a minimum.
At the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, researchers want to implant
microelectronics directly in the brain to detect imminent movements from the pattern of
electrical activity in the brain’s motor cortex. By coupling the neural prosthetics
with electronic devices, you might be able to turn the lights on, change the television
channel, or start the coffee machine just by thinking the right thoughts.
While much of this research is focused on medical applications, there are some
practical products in development. Several voice recognition products on the market do a
great job of allowing the user to "talk" to a computer. The latest versions of
products from developers, such as Dragon Dictate, allow a user to use his natural,
conversational tone of voice to dictate a letter directly into the computer and verbally
command the computer to print and save the document.
Heads-up displays are used on military aircraft to provide information to the pilot
through the windscreen, allowing the pilot to concentrate on the situation rather that
glancing down for a peek at dials and gauges in the cockpit. Now you can purchase your own
heads-up display from i-O Display Systems, a supplier of head-mounted personal display
devices. The company offers something called i-glasses, a combination television/goggles
product that displays private video or computer-generated content for your eyes only.
That last one reminds me a little too much of the Borg Collective from Star Trek: The
Next Generation. For those non-trekkies out there, the Borg were a half-man-half-machine
species with intimidating power but no free will. They marched blindly about with special
electrodes, implants, and headgear that allowed them to follow the commands generated by
their collective consciousness. If that’s what the world is coming too, all I can say
is, "Beam me up, Scotty."
Here is a list of URL’s for products mentioned in this article:
i-O Display Systems:
http://www.vio.com
Dragon Dictate:
http://www.dragonsys.com/products/ dictate.html
Robert D. McRae is senior vice president and information services director
for Associated Industries of Florida (e-mail: rmcrae@aif.com).
May/June 1999 -- Florida Business Insight, PO Box 784, Tallahassee, Fla. 32302
(850)224-7173, insight@aif.com
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