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Country that pioneered bionic ear and eye should invest $250m to take the lead in developing bionic brain, scientists say
The human brain may one day be emulated by a machine. Photograph: Science Photo Library - CNRI/SPL/Getty Images/Brand X
Australian scientists should set a goal of developing the world’s first bionic brain, a report into the future of brain research recommends.
The report, Inspiring smarter brain research in Australia, calls for an investment of $250m over 10 years into interdisciplinary projects to understand the human brain.
It urges that developing a bionic brain become a kind of Apollo mission for Australian science, complete with its own space race: the report cites massive investment in brain research in the United States and Europe, with “China waiting in the wings”.
Australian scientists pioneered the bionic ear and the bionic eye, says geneticist Professor Bob Williams, who chaired the think-tank. “So we have a great deal of experience in what one might think of as outsourcing brain functions to computer chips.”
“It’s obvious that the next development will be to work out ways for the brain to control the movement of an arm or leg,” he said, predicting it would be possible with five to 10 years.
The bionic brain would be more difficult. But research results along the way could revolutionise the prevention and treatment of illnesses such as alzheimer’s, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism and schizophrenia, Williamson said.
“We know that mental illness has a strong genetic component, and a strong environmental component, but the imaging studies that are taking place are already giving clues as to the metabolic things that are happening in the brain in the case of say schizophrenia or bipolar illness.
“Therefore there’s every reason to think that as we understand the architecture of the brain better at the cell by cell level, we’re going to get a greater understanding of what’s going on at the metabolic level, that’s causing a mental illness,” he said.
Looking forward fifty years, and beyond, neuroscience could begin to understand and replicate what he called “the holy grail”, consciousness itself.
“We do not know at this point what the seat of higher consciousness is. We know that humankind is the only animal species that appears to have higher-level consciousness, executive functions, intelligence as we understand it. At least, the only species so far studied and developed.
“We won’t work it out in my lifetime. But it will come. We are looking down the track probably 50 or 100 years,” he said.
“But ultimately, we know that in study of the incredible connections of those hundreds of billions of neurons in the brain, the secret of consciousness exists. That’s something that our grandchildren will have enormous fun figuring out.”
The recommendations emerged from a conference held last July involving 60 Australian researchers, including neuroscientists, anatomists, developmental biologists, ethicists and computer scientists.
Also among the recommendations in the report, available at the Australian Academy of Science website, is the creation of a new Australian brain initiative, dubbed AusBrain, to co-ordinate brain research efforts.
Australian scientists should set minds to developing bionic brain, report says | World news | theguardian.com
- Michael Safi
- theguardian.com, Monday 24 February 2014 13.11 GMT
The human brain may one day be emulated by a machine. Photograph: Science Photo Library - CNRI/SPL/Getty Images/Brand X
Australian scientists should set a goal of developing the world’s first bionic brain, a report into the future of brain research recommends.
The report, Inspiring smarter brain research in Australia, calls for an investment of $250m over 10 years into interdisciplinary projects to understand the human brain.
It urges that developing a bionic brain become a kind of Apollo mission for Australian science, complete with its own space race: the report cites massive investment in brain research in the United States and Europe, with “China waiting in the wings”.
Australian scientists pioneered the bionic ear and the bionic eye, says geneticist Professor Bob Williams, who chaired the think-tank. “So we have a great deal of experience in what one might think of as outsourcing brain functions to computer chips.”
“It’s obvious that the next development will be to work out ways for the brain to control the movement of an arm or leg,” he said, predicting it would be possible with five to 10 years.
The bionic brain would be more difficult. But research results along the way could revolutionise the prevention and treatment of illnesses such as alzheimer’s, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism and schizophrenia, Williamson said.
“We know that mental illness has a strong genetic component, and a strong environmental component, but the imaging studies that are taking place are already giving clues as to the metabolic things that are happening in the brain in the case of say schizophrenia or bipolar illness.
“Therefore there’s every reason to think that as we understand the architecture of the brain better at the cell by cell level, we’re going to get a greater understanding of what’s going on at the metabolic level, that’s causing a mental illness,” he said.
Looking forward fifty years, and beyond, neuroscience could begin to understand and replicate what he called “the holy grail”, consciousness itself.
“We do not know at this point what the seat of higher consciousness is. We know that humankind is the only animal species that appears to have higher-level consciousness, executive functions, intelligence as we understand it. At least, the only species so far studied and developed.
“We won’t work it out in my lifetime. But it will come. We are looking down the track probably 50 or 100 years,” he said.
“But ultimately, we know that in study of the incredible connections of those hundreds of billions of neurons in the brain, the secret of consciousness exists. That’s something that our grandchildren will have enormous fun figuring out.”
The recommendations emerged from a conference held last July involving 60 Australian researchers, including neuroscientists, anatomists, developmental biologists, ethicists and computer scientists.
Also among the recommendations in the report, available at the Australian Academy of Science website, is the creation of a new Australian brain initiative, dubbed AusBrain, to co-ordinate brain research efforts.
Australian scientists should set minds to developing bionic brain, report says | World news | theguardian.com
