A former psychiatric treatments controversial, shocking the brain uses electrical current is now the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are particularly interested.
Extraordinary scene took place at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio (USA): a pilot sitting in front of computer screens in the lab, the first electrode is attached. The aircraft icon constantly appearing on the screen. He was forced to immediately identify aircraft as friend or enemy to.
If the enemy should release warning before shooting down enemy aircraft in the case refused to leave the airspace. This is part of a project to examine the possibility of using electric shocks to military targets, according to BBC information resulting from research Laboratory at the Air Force base in Ohio.
From military applications
Since early this year, the media began reporting scattered about current projects using transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS abbreviated) of the Pentagon. According to The Boston Globe, the researchers of the US Air Force was conducting test measures brain stimulation, tDCS but which method is especially concerned above all in an effort to improve the sensitivity and alertness unit specializing in analyzing data from reconnaissance and reconnaissance unmanned aircraft as well as other sources.
Although the research is in the initial stages, the experiment participants must be familiar with the permanent presence of an electric shock device, emits about 1 milliampere currents. In one experiment, subjects at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base had to wake for 30 hours, and drink coffee or brain stimulation (tDCS technical degree).
Results showed that tDCS group feel alert and efficient operation 2 times gulping coffee group. According to the BBC, the US military has even tested tDCS technology with the aim of improving pilot training program at the airbase on.
The US military used tDCS stimulation on cortical part, to reverse the process is inhibited in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for consciousness - Photo: Reuters
Andy McKinley, who is responsible for program tDCS of the US military, said if you want to improve cognitive function, the best approach is to stimulate the motor cortex area while subjects were performing the task.
However, McKinley and colleagues detected after stimulation on cortical part, need to use tDCS to the reverse engineering process is inhibited in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for consciousness. Test results show that stimulus measures helped double object scores higher than 250% of the time when performing exercises.
Theoretically, this two-step process can be used to accelerate the speed of all the training, pilot training from talented marksman. However, the McKinley group work focused on image analysis, to enhance the ability of officers controlled unmanned aircraft.
To commercial exploitation
In the past few decades, scientists have done experiments reporters currents through the skull of the subject and to direct the brain to search for treatments of neurological disorders serious from depression to improve memory and learning ability. Now, Silicon Valley is hoping to turn technology into a tool brain stimulation money-dawn at the time of wearing the device era.
The latest company to participate effort to build a brain stimulation products for consumers is Thync, a startup company with respectable starting point. Because entrepreneurs Isy Goldwasser and neuroscience co-founder Jamie Tyler, secretly Thync project during the last 3 years.
As a result of its devices will provide three services: energy, relaxation and focus. "For some people, it may be a third cup of coffee of the day, while for others, it can replace nap," CNN quoted him Goldwasser. One of the key technological role in the device's platform is still Thync tDCS, which uses a weak electrical current to change the sensitivity of the nerves in the brain.
With the potential to replace all human activities, from the habit of drinking soda, yoga or medication, neurological disorders, these devices market is forecast brain stimulation is extremely huge.
Meanwhile, Thync is not the only company investing in this new field, such as equipment wears Foc.us first $ 250 tDCS uses technology to help gamers strengthen the focus and achievements while playing. Even according to the Reddit page, is a community of people crowded laboratory equipment tDCS homemade beam based material floating on the net.
The impact has not been proven
Listen through this technology seems fake and dangerous: Team up a hooded and current release is adjusted to the different areas of the brain in about 15 minutes to recharge energy, improved ability to concentrate or simply calm down. Brain stimulation is a reality that existed a long time, but as a field has not been shown to impact on the human brain. "I think most people would agree that there is no official conclusions about whether tDCS or other technique has any therapeutic effects or increase awareness or not," said Charan Ranganath Professor of University of California at Davis.
News source: http://www.xaluan.com
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