21.10.2009

"Intracerebral Radio"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN_b_8Q8DUw&feature=related
The cerebrum or telencephalon, together with the diencephalon, constitutes the forebrain. The cerebrum is the most anterior (or, in humans, most superior) region of the vertebratecentral nervous system. Telencephalon refers to the embryonic structure, from which the mature cerebrum develops. In mammals, the dorsal telencephalon, or pallium, develops into the cerebral cortex, and the ventral telencephalon, or subpallium, becomes the basal ganglia. The cerebrum is also divided into approximately symmetric left and right cerebral hemispheres.
With the assistance of the cerebellum, the cerebrum controls all voluntary actions in the body.
(Serebrum, cerebrum ya da telensefalon beynin en büyük ve en üst kısmında bulunan merkezi sinir sistemi bölümü. Sağ ve solda bulunan hemisferler corpus kollosum ile birbirleriyle bağlantı kurar. Serebrumun en dış kısmına serebral korteks denir.
Kompleks hareketlerin organizasyonu, öğrenilen deneyimlerin hafızada saklanması, duyusal bilgilerin alınması gibi görevleri vardır.)  Beyin
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light.[1] Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space.
Information is carried by systematically changing (modulating) some property of the radiated waves, such as amplitude, frequency, phase, or pulse width. When radio waves pass through an electrical conductor, the oscillating fields induce an alternating current in the conductor. This can be detected and transformed into sound or other signals that carry information. [The etymology of "radio" or "radiotelegraphy" reveals that it was called "wireless telegraphy", which was shortened to "wireless" in Britain. The prefix radio- in the sense of wireless transmission, was first recorded in the word radioconductor, a description provided by the French physicist Édouard Branly in 1897. It is based on the verb to radiate (in Latin "radius" means "spoke of a wheel, beam of light, ray"] http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/radio+interface
(Radyo, elektromanyetik radyo dalgalarındaki ses modülasyonunu önce elektronik ortama sonra dasese çeviren elektronik alet. Türk Dili dergisinde Kırgız Türkçesinde radyo anlamında kullanılanүналгы /ünalgı/ sözünün Türkiye Türkçesinde kullanılması da gündeme getirilmiştir. Radyolar (radyo alıcıları) elektromanyetik tayfın belli bir aralığını dinlemek üzere tasarlanır. Radyonun seçicilik ve hassaslık faktörlerine göre kalitesini değerlendirmek mümkündür - Q faktörü.) 
GPS (Global Positioning System; Küresel Konumlama Sistemi), düzenli olarak kodlanmış bilgi yollayan bir uydu ağıdır ve uydularla arasındaki mesafeyi ölçerekDünya üzerindeki kesin yeri tespit etmeyi mümkün kılar.
Bu sistem, ABD Savunma Bakanlığı'na ait, yörüngede sürekli olarak dönen uydulardan oluşur. Bu uydular radyo sinyalleri yayarlar ve yeryüzündeki GPS alıcısı bu sinyalleri alır. Böylece konum belirlenmesi mümkün olur.
Bu sistemin ilk kuruluş hedefi tamamen askeri amaçlar içindi. GPS alıcıları yön bulmakta, askeri çıkartmalarda ve roket atışlarında kullanılmak üzere tasarlanmıştır. Ancak, 1980'lerde GPS sistemi sivil kullanıma da açılmıştır.
Yapay uydular insanoğlunun geliştirip Dünya'nın veya başka gezegenlerin yörüngesine yerleştirdiği uydulardır. Bu uydular genellikle yarı-bağımsız bilgisayar kontrollü sistemlerdir.
1957'de SSBC tarafından fırlatılan ilk yapay uydu olan Sputnik 1'den beri, binlerce yapay uydu Dünya'dan fırlatılmıştır. Bu uyduların her birinin belli bir amacı vardır. Yapay uyduların amaçlarından bazıları şunlardır:
  • Haberleşme uyduları: TV, radyo, telefon gibi iletişim araçlarını kullanabilmek için uzaya gönderilmiş uydulardır. Modern haberleşme uyduları çoğunlukla "Molniya" veya "Alçak Dünya" yörüngelerini kullanırlar.
  • Meteoroloji uyduları: Bu uydular dünyadaki meteorolojik olayları gözlemlemek için kullanılırlar.
  • Anti-uydu silah sistemleri: "Katil uydular" olarak da bilinen bu uyduların amaçları düşman uydularını yok etmektir. Düşman uyduları vurmak için kinetik mermiler ya da enerji veya partikül silah sistemleri kullanırlar.
  • Biyouydular (Biosatellites): Bilimsel amaçlarla canlı organizmalar taşıyan uydulardır.
  • Minyatür uydular: Çok çeşitli amaçlarla kullanılabilen sıradışı şekilde ufak cüsseli uydulardır. 500–100 kg arasında olanlara "miniuydu", 100–10 kg arasında olanlara "mikrouydu", 10 kg'dan daha hafif olanlara "nanouydu" denir. 
  • Seyrüsefer uyduları (Navigasyon uyduları): Radyo sinyalleri vasıtasıyla dünya üzerindeki mobil cihazların yerlerini GPS sayesinde tespit etmeye yarayan uydulardır. Günümüzde uçaklarda, otomobillerde hatta elde kullanımı oldukça yaygınlaşmış olan sistem. sayesinde dünya üzerindeki konum birkaç metre hassasiyetiyle tespit edilebilir. 
  • Gözetleme uyduları (Reconnaissance satellites): Daha çok askeri gözetleme ve keşif amaçlarıyla kullanılan bu uyduların gerçek kabiliyetleri konusunda detaylı bir bilgi mevcut değildir. Bunun nedeni, bu sistemlere dair bilgilerin "çok gizli" gizlilik derecesinde olmasıdır.
  • Gözlem uyduları (Earth observation satellites): Bu uydular sivil gözlem amacıyla (çevre faciaları, harita yapımı vs.) kullanılan uydulardır.
  • Güneş enerjisi uyduları: Bu uydular güneş enerjisini dünya üzerindeki alıcılara yönlendirerek, alternatif enerji kaynağı olarak kullanılması planlanan uydulardır.
  • Uzay istasyonları: Uzay istasyonları, üzerinde insanların yaşaması için inşa edilmiş yapılardır. Günümüzde bilimsel amaçlarla kullanılan bu yapılar astronotların yıllarca barınmasına imkân verebilmektedir. Bu istasyonlar uzay taşıtı değillerdir ve iniş-kalkış kabiliyetleri yoktur. Bu istasyonlara gidiş geliş diğer uzay taşıtları vasıtasıyla sağlanır.

Uzaktan kumanda elektronik cihazların, yaygın olarak televizyonların, kısa mesafelerde uzaktankontrol edilebilmesini sağlayan parçasıdır. 
Uzaktan kumandanın ilk örneklerinden biri, 1898 yılında Nikola Tesla tarafından “Hareket Eden Araç Veya Araçların Mekanizmalarının Kontrolü İçin Cihaz Tekniği” ismi ile geliştirildi.[1]
1903 yılında Leonardo Torres Quevedo, Telekino adlı tasarımını Paris Bilim Akademisi'nde deneysel bir gösteri ile tanıttı. Aynı yıl içinde Fransa, İspanya, Birleşik Krallık ve ABD'de cihazın patentini aldı. Telekino elektromanyetik dalgalarla iletilen komutları yerine getiren bir robottu. Telekino uzaktan kumanda alanında bir öncü ve dünyanın ilk radyo kontrol cihazı olarak kabul edilmektedir. Torres, 1906 yılında Bilbao Limanı'nda kralın ve büyük bir kalabalığın önünde bir botu sahilden uzaktan kumanda ile başarılı bir şekilde yönlendirdi. Daha sonra Telekino'yu mermi ve torpidolara uyarlamaya çalıştı ancak parasal sorunlar nedeniyle çalışmayı tamamlayamadı.
İlk uzaktan kumandalı model uçak 1932 yılında uçtu ve uzaktan kumanda teknolojisi yoğun olarak 2. Dünya Savaşı süresince askeri amaçlarla kullanıldı. Bunun bir sonucu olarak Alman yapımı Wasserfall füzesi ortaya çıktı.
İlk televizyon uzaktan kumandası 1950'lerin ilk yarısında Zenith Radyo Şirketi tarafından geliştirildi. "Lazy Bones" (Türkçe:"Tembel Kemikler") olarak anılan bu uzaktan kumanda televizyona bir kablo ile bağlanmıştı. Bu ağır uzaktan kumandayı daha kullanışlı hale getirmek için 1955 yılında “Flashmatic” denen kablosuz uzaktan kumanda geliştirildi. Flashmatic’in çalışma prensibi bir fotoelektrik hücre üzerine ışın demeti gönderilmesine dayanıyordu. Ne yazık ki, hücreler başka ışık kaynaklarından gelen ışıkla uzaktan kumandadan gelen ışını ayırt edemiyordu. Ayrıca kumanda ışınının tam olarak hücre üzerine doğrultulması gerekiyordu.
1956 yılında Robert Adler, “Zenith Uzay Kumandası” adıyla kablosuz bir uzaktan kumanda geliştirdi. Kanalı ve ses şiddetini değiştirmek için mekanik ve ses ötesi tekniğini kullanıyordu. Kullanıcı uzaktan kumanda üzerinde bir düğmeye bastığında mekanik olarak meydana gelen çarpma sesi (her bir kanal için farklı frekansta) televizyon tarafından tespit edilip kanalın değiştirilmesini sağlıyordu. Transistörün bulunması vepiezoelektrik kristalleri içeren uzaktan kumandaların geliştirilmesi ile bu teknik daha ucuz ve kullanılabilir hale geldi. Ancak kullanılan frekansinsan kulağının duyabileceği ses seviyesinin üzerinde olmasına rağmen, bazı insanların sesleri duyabilmesi ve bundan rahatsız olması,ksilofon ve benzeri ses çıkaran aletlerin uzaktan kumanda ile aynı frekansta çalışabildiği ve istemsiz kanal değişikliklerine sebep olması gibi sorunlar bu tekniğin çok kullanışlı olmadığını ortaya koydu.
Televizyon kumandalarında daha fazla özellik arayışı, BBC’nin Ceefax teletekst servisini geliştirmesiyle 1970’lerin sonlarına doğru ortaya çıktı. O dönemdeki çoğu uzaktan kumanda sınırlı sayıda özellik sunuyordu. Bazen kumandalarda sadece dört tane tuş vardı: sonraki kanal, önceki kanal, ses yükseltme ve ses azaltma. Bu tür kontroller, üç basamaklı sayılarla ifade edilen teletekst sayfalarının ihtiyacını karşılamıyordu. Bir sayfanın görüntülenebilmesi için bir uzaktan kumandanın, sıfırdan dokuza rakam tuşlarına ve buna benzer başka kontrol tuşlarına ihtiyacı vardı. Başlangıçta kablolu olan teletekst kumandalarınının, kullanımın devam etmesiyle birlikte, kablosuz olmasına ihtiyaç duyuldu. Bu nedenle BBC mühendisleri, bazı televizyon üreticisi firmalarla görüşerek 1977-78 yıllarında daha çok özellik içeren ilk kablosuz uzaktan kumanda örneklerini geliştirdi. Bu şirketlerden bir tanesi olan ITT daha sonra kendi adıyla anılacak olan ITT kızılötesi iletişim protokolünü geliştirmişti. Tesla

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7fysi_jose-rodriguez-delgado-implantes-ce_school

Physical Control of the Mind:

Toward a Psychocivilized Society

by Jose M. Delgado

Part I
Mental Evolution

Part II
The Brain and Mind as Functional Entities

Part III
Experimental Control of Brain Functions in Behaving Subjects

Chapter Thirteen:
Motor Responses

Part IV
Evaluation of Electrical Control of the Brain

Chapter Twenty:
Medical Applications
Chapter Twenty-One:
Ethical Considerations



Dr Jose Delgado, a neurophsiologist at Yale University School, was especially interested in Electronic Stimulation of the Brain. By implanting a small probe into the brain, Delgado discovered that he could wield enormous power over his subject. Using a device he called the 'stimoceiver' which operated by FM radio waves, he was able to electrically orchestrate a wide range of human emotions. These included rage, lust and fatigue. (Note: Stimoceiver is a S.B.M.C.D. or/ Spherical Biological Monitoring and Control Device. This ultra submicrominiaturized unit is the offspring of alien technology. Much of this was continued on the MK-Ultra Sub-Project 95 by Dr.Jose Delgado and Dr Louis Joylan West who mastered a technology called "RHIC-EDOM." RHIC means "Radio Hypnotic Intracerebral Control", and EDOM means "Electronic Dissolution Of Memory." These implants are stimulated to induce a post-hypnotic suggestion. EDOM is nothing more than "Missing Time" or/ the erasure of memory from the consciousness. The following Projects still use advanced RHIC-EDOM technology by CIA Black Ops and the military............Col.)
[ Under the auspices the fascist regime in Spain during WWII, Jose Delgado began his research into the use of pain and pleasure for mind control. Later, as Director of Neuropsychiatry at Yale University Medical School, he refined the design of his "transdermal stimulator"...a computer controlled, remote neurologic transceiver and aversion stimulator. Since the 1970s, Delgado "has shifted his interest from direct electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) to the broader area of the biological effects of electromagnetic fields." (Cross Currents - Dr. Robert Becker) ]
This gap is now being filled, and as Figures 4 and 5 show, it is already possible to equip animals or human beings with minute instruments called "stimoceivers" for radio transmission and reception of electrical messages to and from the brain in completely unrestrained subjects. Microminiaturization of the instrument's electronic components permits control of all parameters of excitation for radio stimulation of three different points within the brain and also telemetric recording of three channels of intracerebral electrical activity.
It is reasonable to speculate that in the near future the stimoceiver may provide the essential link from man to computer to man, with a reciprocal feedback between neurons and instruments which represents a new orientation for the medical control of neurophysiological functions. For example, it is conceivable that the localized abnormal electrical activity which announces the imminence of an epileptic attack could be picked up by implanted electrodes, telemetered to a distant instrument room, tape-recorded, and analyzed by a computer capable of recognizing abnormal electrical patterns. Identification of the specific electrical disturbance could trigger the emission of radio signals to activate the patient's stimoceiver and apply an electrical stimulation to a determined inhibitory area of the brain, thus blocking the onset of the convulsive episode.
One of the limiting factors in these studies was the existence of wires leading from the brain to the stimoceiver outside of the scalp. The wires represented a possible portal of entry for infection and could be a hindrance to hair grooming in spite of their small size. It would obviously be far more desirable to employ minute instruments which could be implanted completely beneath the skin. For this purpose we have developed in our laboratory a sMall phree-channel stimulator which can be placed subcutaneously and which has terminal leads to be implanted within the brain (Figure 6). The instrument is solid state, has no batteries, and can work indefinitely. Necessary electrical energy, remote control of parameters of stimulation, and choice of channels are provided by transdermal coupling, using a small coil which is activated by frequency-modulated radio signals.
The technology for nonsensory communication between brains and computers through the intact skin is already at our fingertips, and its consequences are difficult to predict. In the past the progress of civilization has tremendously magnified the power of our senses, muscles, and skills. Now we are adding a new dimension: the direct interface between brains and machines. Although true, this statement is perhaps too spectacular and it requires cautious clarification. Our present knowledge regarding the coding of information, mechanisms of perception, and neuronal bases of behavior is so elemental that it is highly improbable that electrical correlates of thoughts or emotions could be picked up, transmitted, and electrically applied to the suitable structure of a different subject in order to be recognized and to trigger related thoughts or emotions. It is, however, already possible to induce a large variety of responses, from motor effects to emotional reactions and intellectual manifestations, by direct electrical stimulation of the brain. Also, several investigators have learned to identify patterns of electrical activity (which a computer could also recognize) localized in specific areas of the brain and related to determined phenomena such as perception of smells or visual perception of edges and movements. We are advancing rapidly in the pattern recognition of electrical correlates of behavior and in the methodology for two-way radio communication between brain and computers.
Fears have been expressed that this new technology brings with it the threat of possible unwanted and unethical remote control of the cerebral activities of man by other men, but as will be discussed later, this danger is quite improbable and is outweighed by the expected clinical and scientific benefits. Electronic knowledge and microminiaturization have progressed so much that the limits appear biological rather than technological. Our greatest need is for more experimental information about the neuronal mechanisms related to behavioral and mental processes, and research in unrestricted subjects promises to reveal new understanding of normal minds and more efficient therapy of disturbed brains.
Stimcvr1.jpg
Figure 6

Both sides of a three-channel transdermal stimulator. This instrument has no batteries, is activated by radio, and can be used for life, so that the brain can be stimulated indefinitely.
Stimcvr2.jpg

http://www.wireheading.com/robohuman/index.html

Japan developing remote control for humans



By Yuri Kageyama

Associated Press
A special headset designed by Nippon Telegraph

& Telephone Corp. can control human movement.






"We call this a virtual dance experience although some people have
mentioned it's more like a virtual drug experience"
Taro Maeda, senior research scientist at NTTY

ATSUGI, Japan (AP) -- We wield remote controls to turn things on and off, make them advance, make them halt. Ground-bound pilots use remotes to fly drone airplanes, soldiers to maneuver battlefield robots. But manipulating humans?

Prepare to be remotely controlled.
Just imagine being rendered the rough equivalent of a radio-controlled toy car.
Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp., Japans top telephone company, says it is developing the technology to perhaps make video games more realistic.
A special headset was placed on my cranium by my hosts during a recent demonstration at an NTT research center. It sent a very low voltage electric current from the back of my ears through my head -- either from left to right or right to left, depending on which way the joystick on a remote-control was moved.
I found the experience unnerving and exhausting: I sought to step straight ahead but kept careening from side to side. Those alternating currents literally threw me off.
The technology is called galvanic vestibular stimulation -- essentially, electricity messes with the delicate nerves inside the ear that help maintain balance.
I felt a mysterious, irresistible urge to start walking to the right whenever the researcher turned the switch to the right. I was convinced -- mistakenly -- that this was the only way to maintain my balance.
The phenomenon is painless but dramatic. Your feet start to move before you know it. I could even remote-control myself by taking the switch into my own hands.
There's no proven-beyond-a-doubt explanation yet as to why people start veering when electricity hits their ear. But NTT researchers say they were able to make a person walk along a route in the shape of a giant pretzel using this technique.
It's a mesmerizing sensation similar to being drunk or melting into sleep under the influence of anesthesia. But it's more definitive, as though an invisible hand were reaching inside your brain.
NTT says the feature may be used in video games and amusement park rides, although there are no plans so far for a commercial product.
Some people really enjoy the experience, researchers said while acknowledging that others feel uncomfortable.
I watched a simple racing-car game demonstration on a large screen while wearing a device programmed to synchronize the curves with galvanic vestibular stimulation. It accentuated the swaying as an imaginary racing car zipped through a virtual course, making me wobbly.
Another program had the electric current timed to music. My head was pulsating against my will, getting jerked around on my neck. I became so dizzy I could barely stand. I had to turn it off.
NTT researchers suggested this may be a reflection of my lack of musical abilities. People in tune with freely expressing themselves love the sensation, they said.
"We call this a virtual dance experience although some people have mentioned it's more like a virtual drug experience," said Taro Maeda, senior research scientist at NTT. "I'm really hopeful Apple Computer will be interested in this technology to offer it in their iPod."
Research on using electricity to affect human balance has been going on around the world for some time.
James Collins, professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, has studied using the technology to prevent the elderly from falling and to help people with an impaired sense of balance. But he also believes the effect is suited for games and other entertainment.
"I suspect they'll probably get a kick out of the illusions that can be created to give them a more total immersion experience as part of virtual reality," Collins said.
The very low level of electricity required for the effect is unlikely to cause any health damage, Collins said. Still, NTT required me to sign a consent form, saying I was trying the device at my own risk.
And risk definitely comes to mind when playing around with this technology.
Timothy Hullar, assistant professor at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., believes finding the right way to deliver an electromagnetic field to the ear at a distance could turn the technology into a weapon for situations where "killing isn't the best solution."
"This would be the most logical situation for a nonlethal weapon that presumably would make your opponent dizzy," he said via e-mail. "If you find just the right frequency, energy, duration of application, you would hope to find something that doesn't permanently injure someone but would allow you to make someone temporarily off-balance."
Indeed, a small defense contractor in Texas, Invocon Inc., is exploring whether precisely tuned electromagnetic pulses could be safely fired into people's ears to temporarily subdue them.
NTT has friendlier uses in mind.
If the sensation of movement can be captured for playback, then people can better understand what a ballet dancer or an Olympian gymnast is doing, and that could come handy in teaching such skills.
And it may also help people dodge oncoming cars or direct a rescue worker in a dark tunnel, NTT researchers say. They maintain that the point is not to control people against their will.
If you're determined to fight the suggestive orders from the electric currents by clinging to a fence or just lying on your back, you simply won't move.
But from my experience, if the currents persist, you'd probably be persuaded to follow their orders. And I didn't like that sensation. At all.
.
http://i25.tinypic.com/2cz3i4i.jpg

MIND CONTROL

José Delgado Controls An Angry Bull



by Electrical Stimulation of the Brain

Jose Delgado
"The individual may think that the most important reality is his own existence, but this is only his personal point of view. This lacks historical perspective. Man does not have the right to develop his own mind. This kind of liberal orientation has great appeal. We must electronically control the brain. Someday armies and generals will be controlled by electric stimulation of the brain." 
Dr José Delgado,
Director of Neuropsychiatry
Yale University Medical School Congressional Record,
No. 26, Vol. 118 February 24, 1974

Dr José Delgado began his investigation into electrically stimulated pain and pleasure in Spain during the 1930s. He later became Director of Neuropsychiatry at Yale University Medical School, where he refined the design of his remote-controlled "transdermal stimulator". Dr Delgado discovered that a whole range of emotions and behaviours can be electrically orchestrated in humans and non-human animals alike. The individual has no capacity to resist such control if stimulated.
Dr Delgado had great faith in his technology. In one famous experiment conducted in Spain, Dr Delgado confronted a charging 1,000-pound bull. As the horned animal lunged towards him aggressively, Dr Delgado used a radio signal to activate an electrode implanted deep in the bull's brain. The bull was brought to a halt at Delgado's feet.
In Journey Into Madness, The True Story of Secret CIA Mind Control and Medical Abuse (Bantam Books, 1989), Gordon Thomas, the former BBC producer, foreign correspondent and investigative journalist, relates how "Dr Gottlieb and behaviorists of ORD [Office of Research and Development, CIA, Central Intelligence Agency] shared [Dr.] José Delgado's views that the day must come when the technique would be perfected for making not only animals but humans respond to electrically transmitted signals" ... "Like Dr Delgado [Yale University], the neurosurgeon (Dr Heath of Tulane University) concluded that ESB [electronic stimulation of the brain] could control memory, impulses, feelings and could evoke hallucinations as well as fear and pleasure. It could literally manipulate the human will - at will."
.


PHYSICAL CONTROL OF THE MIND


Toward a Psychocivilized Society







brain imagesJosé M. R. Delgado, M.D. 1969


Human Pleasure Evoked by ESB















(Electrical Stimulation of the Brain)

On the basis of many studies during cerebral surgery, Penfield has said of anger, joy, pleasure, and sexual excitement in the human brain that "so far as our experience goes, neither localized epileptic discharge nor electrical stimulation is capable of awaking any such emotion. One is tempted to believe that there are no specific cortical mechanisms associated with these emotions." This statement still holds true for the cerebral cortex, but studies in human subjects with implanted electrodes have demonstrated that electrical stimulation of the depth of the brain can induce pleasurable manifestations, as evidenced by the spontaneous verbal reports of patients, their facial expression and general behavior, and their desire to repeat the experience. In a group of twenty-three patients suffering from schizophrenia, electrical stimulation of the septal region, located deep in the frontal lobes, produced an enhancement of alertness sometimes accompanied by an increase in verbal output, euphoria, or pleasure. In a more systematic study in another group of patients, further evidence was presented of the rewarding effects of septal stimulation. One man suffering from narclolepsia was provided with a small stimulator and a built-in counter which recorded the number of times that he voluntarily stimulated each of several selected points in his brain during a period of seventeen weeks. The highest score was recorded from one point in the septal region, and the patient that pushing this particular button made him feel "good" as if he were building up to a sexual orgasm, although he was not able to reach the end point and often felt impatient and anxious. His narcolepsia was greatly relieved by pressing this "septal button." Another patient, with psychomotor epilepsy also enjoyed septal self-stimulation, which again had the highest rate of button pressing and often induced sexual thoughts. Activation of the septal region by direct injection of acetylcholine produced local electrical changes in two epileptic patients and a shift in mood from disphoria to contentment and euphoria, usually with concomitant sexual motivation and some "orgastic sensations."
          Further information was provided by another group of sixty-five patients suffering from schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease, in whom a total of 643 contacts were implanted, mainly in the anterior part of the brain. Results of ESB were grouped as follows: 360 points were "Positive I," and with stimulation "the patients became relaxed, at ease, had a feeling of well-being, and/or were a little sleepy." Another 31 points were "Positive II," and "the patients were definitely changed...in a good mood, felt good. They were relaxed, at ease, and enjoyed themselves, frequently smiling. There was a slight euphoria, but the behavior was adequate." They sometimes wanted more stimulations. Excitation of another eight points evoked behavior classified as "Positive III," when "euphoria was definitely beyond normal limits. The patients laughed out loud, enjoyed themselves, and positively liked the stimulation, and wanted more." ESB of another 38 points gave ambivalent results, and the patients expressed occassional pleasure or displeasure following excitation of the same area. From three other points, responses were termed "orgasm" because the patients initially expressed enjoyment and then were completely satisfied and did not want any more stimulation for a variable period of time. Finally, from about two hundred points, ESB produced unpleasant reactions including anxiety, sadness, depression, fear, and emotional outbursts. One of the moving pictures taken in this study was very demonstrative, showing a patient with a sad expression and slightly depressed mood who smiled when a brief stimulation was applied to the rostral part of the brain, returning quickly to his usual depressed state, to smile again as soon as stimulation was reapplied. Then a ten-second stimulation completely changed his behavior and facial expression into a lasting pleasant and happy mood. Some mental patients have been provided with portable stimulators which they have used in self-treatment of depressive states with apparent clinical success.
          These results indicate the need for careful functional exploration during brain surgery in order to avoid excessive euphoria or depression when positive or negative reinforcing areas are damaged. Emotional instability, in which the subject bursts suddenly into tears or laughter without apparent reason, has been observed following some neurosurgical interventions. These major behavior problems might have been avoided by sparing the region involved in emotional regulation.
          In our own experience, pleasurable sensations were observed in three patients with psychomotor epilepsy. The first case was V.P., a 36-year-old female with a long history of epileptic attacks which could not be controlled by medication. Electrodes were implanted in her right temporal lobe and upon stimulation of a contact located in the superior part about thirty millimeters below the surface, the patient reported a pleasant tingling sensation in the left side of her body "from my face down to the bottom of my legs." She started giggling and making funny comments, stating that she enjoyed the sensation "very much." Repetition of these stimulations made the patient more communicative and flirtatious, and she ended by openly expressing her desire to marry the therapist. Stimulation of other cerebral points failed to modify her mood and indicated the specificity of the evoked effect. During control interviews before and after ESB, her behavior was quite proper, without familiarity or excessive friendliness.
          The second patient was J.M., an attractive, cooperative, and intelligent 30-year-old female who had suffered for eleven years from psychomotor and grand mal attacks which resisted medical therapy. Electrodes were implanted in her right temporal lobe, and stimulation of one of the points in the amygdala induced a pleasant sensation of relaxation and considerably increased her verbal output, which took on a more intimate character. This patient openly expressed her fondness for the therapist (who was new to her), kissed his hands, and talked about her immense gratitude for what was being done for her. A similar increase in verbal and emotional expression was repeated when the same point was stimulated on a different day, but it did not appear when other areas of the brain were explored. During the control situations the patient was rather reserved and poised.
          The third case was A.F., an 11-year-old boy with severe psychomotor epilepsy. Six days after electrode implantation in both temporal lobes, his fourth tape-recorded interview was carried out while electrical activity of the brain was continuously recorded and 5-second stimulations were applied in a prearranged sequence at intervals of about four minutes. The interviewer maintained an air of friendly interest throughout, usually without intiating conversation. After six other excitations, point LP located on the surface of the left temporal lobe was stimulated for the first time, and there was an open and precipitous declaration of pleasure. The patient had been silent for the previous five-minute interval, but immediately after this stimulation he exclaimed, "Hey! You can keep me here longer when you give me these; I like those." He went on to insist that the ongoing brain tests made him feel good. Similar statements with an emphatic expression of "feeling good" followed eight of a total sixteen stimulations of this point during the ninety-minute interview. Several of these manifestations were accompanied by a statement of fondness for the male interviewer, and the last one was accompanied by a voluptuous stretch. None of these manifestations appeared during the twenty-two minutes when other points were excited. Statistical analysis of the difference between the frequency of pleasurable expressions before and after onset of stimulations proved that results were highly significant (P<0.001).
  The open expressions of pleasure in this interview and the general passivity of behavior could be linked, more or less intuitively, to feminine strivings. It was therefore remarkable that in the next interview, performed in a similar manner, the patient's expressions of confusion about his own sexual identity again appeared following stimulation of point LP. He suddenly began to discuss the desire to get married, but when asked, "To whom?" he did not immediately reply. Following stimulation of another point and a one-minute, twenty-second silence, thepatient said, "I was thinking - there's - I was sayingthis to you. How to spell 'yes' - y-e-s . I mean y-o-s. No! 'You' ain't y-e-o . It's this. Y-o-u." The topic was then completely dropped. The monitor who was listening from the next room interpreted this as a thinly veiled wish to marry the interviewer, and it was decided to stimulate the same site again after the prearranged schedulehad been completed. During the following forty minutes, seven other points were stimulated, and the patient spoke about several topics of a completely different and unrelated content. Then LP was stimulated again, and the patient started making references to the facial hair of the interviewer and continued by mentioning pubic hair and his having been the object of genital sex play in the past. He then expressed doubt about his sexual identity, saying, "I was thinkin' if I was a boy or a girl -- which one I'd like to be." Following another excitation he remarked with evident pleasure: "You're doin' it now," and then he said, "I'd like to be a girl."

http://www.skewsme.com/implants.html#axzz1jkGQ3NOP


Brain implant (JPG)

Brain Implants

Direct neural control of complex machines is a long-term U.S. military goal. DARPA has a brain-machine interface program aimed at creating next-generation wireless interfaces between neural systems and, initially, prosthetics and other biomedical devices.
— Rodney Brooks, “Toward a Brain-Internet Link,”WirelessNewsFactor, 10 Dec 2003.

CommittedIn aKurzweillianfuture, the world would become a very strange place, where converging advances in nanotechnology, biotechnology and computer science combine to propel humanity to its next stage of evolution. “By the end of this century, I don't think there will be a clear distinction between human and machine,” Kurzweil told theForesight Institute’sEighth Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology.1
[By 1969,] the miracle of giving light to theblind i, ii, iii, ivor sound to the deafha[d]been made possible by implantation of electrodes, demonstrating the technical possibility of circumventing damaged sensory receptors by direct electrical stimulation of the nervous system.2Computers that become part of our bodies are not so far-fetched.… Surgeons have performed [more than 50,000 3]cochlear implantson patients with hearing loss.v“These people are already walking around with chips in their heads,” [Peter Cochrane, head of research at British Telecommunications PLC,] says.4
Giving completely paralyzed patients full mental control of robotic limbs or communication devices has long been a dream of those working to free such individuals from their locked-in state.5There is little doubt that direct brain-machine interfaces will be available in the very near future.6


Rat cyborg
Rat cyborg
Researchers at the University School of Medicine in Philadelphia demonstrated that signals from neuron groupings inrats brains can be used to control a physical devicewithout the rats carrying out a physical action themselves.7“This study breaks new ground in several areas,” said Dr. Eberhard Fetz, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, who authored a commentary on the research in the “News and Views” section ofNature Neuroscience. “Unlike comparable studies, this is the first demonstration to prove that simultaneous recordings from large ensembles of neurons can be converted in real time and online to control an external device. Extracting signals directly from the brain to control robotic devices has been a science fiction theme that seems destined to become fact.” 8
[Miguel Nicolelisand colleagues] at Duke University in North Carolina wiredmonkey brains to control robotic armsthat mimicked the motions of their real arms (another search; see alsoanother similar study).9“It was an amazing sight to see the robot in my lab move, knowing that it was being driven by signals from a monkey brain atDuke,” said [Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s]Touch Labdirector and co-researcherMandayam Srinivasan. “It was as if the monkey had a 600-mile- (950-km-) long virtual arm.”10
John P. Donoghue, a neuroscientist at Brown University developing a similar system, said paralyzed patients would be the first to benefit by gaining an ability to type and communicate on the Web, but the list of potential applications is endless, he said. The devices may even allow quadriplegics to move their own limbs again by sending signals from the brain to various muscles, leaping over the severed nerves that caused their paralysis.…
Both he and Nicolelis hope to get permission from theFood and Drug Administrationto begin experiments in people [in 2004]. Nicolelis also is developing a system that would transmit signals from each of the hundreds of brain electrodes to a portable receiver, so his monkeys — or human subjects — could be free of external wires and move around while they turn their thoughts into mechanical actions.11
Scientists say they have developed a technology that enables amonkey to move a cursor on a computer screensimply by thinking about it.… Using high-tech brain scans, the researchers determined that [a] small clump[] of cells…were active in the formation of the desire to carry out specific body movements. Armed with this knowledge, [researchers at theCalifornia Institute of Technologyin Pasadena] implanted sensitive electrodes in the posterior parietal cortex of a rhesus monkey trained to play a simple video game.… A computer program, hooked up to the implanted electrodes,…then moved a cursor on the computer screen in accordance with the monkey’s desires — left or right, up or down, wherever “the electrical (brain) patterns tells us the monkey is planning to reach,” according to [researcherDaniella]Meeker.12[Dr. William Heetderks, director of the neural prosthesis program at theNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,] believes that the path to long-lasting implants in people would involve the recording of data from many electrodes. “To get a rich signal that allows you to move a limb in three-dimensional space or move a cursor around on a screen will require the ability to record from at least 30 neurons,” he said.13
Glass clone implantDr. Philip R. Kennedy, an [sic] clinical assistant professor of neurology atEmory Universityin Georgia, reported that a paralyzed man was able tocontrol a cursor with a cone-shaped, glass implant(See alsoanother similar study).14Each [neurotrophic electrode] consists of a hollow glass cone about the size of a ball-point pen tip.15The implants…contain an electrode that picks up impulses from the nerve endings. Before they are implanted, the cones are coated with chemicals — taken from tissue inside the patients’ own knees — to encourage nerve growth. The implants are then placed in the brain’s motor cortex — which controls body movement — and over the course of the next few months the chemicals encourage nerve cells to grow and attach to the electrodes. A transmitter just inside the skull picks up signals from the cones and translates these into cursor commands on the computer.16
Scientists atNorthwestern Universitycrafted a two-wheeled robot that operated partly on the electrical signals of adisplaced lamprey’s brain(pic,video).17The part of the brain used in the experiment normally keeps the lamprey upright in the water. When connected up correctly, the organ can guide the robot towards a light source.18
Scientists at the University of Tokyo are exploring ways that la cucaracha can become more socially redeeming. Using hardy American roaches, scientists remove their wings,insert electrodes in their antennae(more pics,schematics) and affix a tiny backpack of electric circuits and batteries to their carapace. The electrodes prod them to turn left and right, go backward and forward. The plan is to equip them with minicameras or other sensory devices.19, vi[Later that same year, the motion pictureThe Fifth Element(1997) featured a remote-controlled cockroach equipped with a camera.]
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute have…demonstrated electronic-based neuron transistors that cancontrol the movement of a live leechfrom a computer. They can detect the firing of a nearby neuron, cause it to fire, or suppress a neuron from firing — all of which amounts to two-way communication between neurons and neuron transistors.20
Remote-controlled rat (JPG)Rats steered by a computer…could soon help find buried earthquake victims or dispose of bombs, scientists said [1 May 2002]. Theremote-controlled “roborats”(more pics,audio,video) can be made to run, climb, jump or turn left and right through electrical probes, the width of a hair, implanted in their brains. Movement signals are transmitted from a computer to the rat’s brain via a radio receiver strapped to its back. One electrode stimulates the “feelgood” center of the rat’s brain, while two other electrodes activate the cerebral regions which process signals from its left and right whiskers.21
“They work for pleasure,” saysSanjiv Talwar, the bioengineer at the State University of New York who led the research team.… “The rat feels nirvana.” 22Asked to speculate on potential military uses for robotic animals, Dr Talwar agreed they could, in theory, be put to some unpleasant uses, such asassassination.23
[In February 2007, scientists at the Robot Engineering Technology Research Centre at Shandong University of Science and Technology in China announced they had created remote-controlled pigeons (pic) after having had similar success implanting mice in 2005. Their next step is to improve the technology for practical use.]
 
A team of US scientists have wired a computer to a cat’s brain andcreated videos of what the animal was seeing. By recording the electrical activity of nerve cells in the thalamus, a region of the brain that receives signals from the eyes, researchers from the University of California at Berkeley were able to view these shapes.… They recorded the output from 177 brain cells that responded to light and dark in the cat's field of view. In total, the 177 cells were sensitive to a field of view of 6.4 by 6.4 degrees.… In the cat’s brain, as in ours, the signals from the thalamus cells undergo considerable signal processing in the higher regions of the brain that improve the quality of the image that is perceived. Taking an image from a region of the brain before this image enhancement has taken place will result in a poorer image than the cat is able to see.… Given time, it will be possible to record what one person sees and “play it back” to someone else either as it is happening or at a later date.24, vii
In 1870, two German researchers named [Eduard]Hitzigand [Gustav]Fritschelectrically stimulated the brains of dogs, demonstrating that certain portions of the brain were the centers of motor function. The AmericanDr. Robert Bartholow, within four years, demonstrated that the same was true of human beings. By the turn of the [twentieth] century in GermanyFedor Krausewas able to do a systematic electrical mapping of the human brain, using conscious patients undergoing brain surgery [Morgan, James P., “The First Reported Case of Electrical Stimulation of the Human Brain,” Journal of History of Medicine athttp://www3.oup.co.uk/jalsci/scope/; Zimmerman, M., “Electrical Stimulation of the Human Brain,”Human Neurobiology, 1982].
Another early researcher intoelectrical stimulation of the brainwasWalter Rudolf Hess, who began research intoESBin the 1930s, jolting patients’ brains with shocks administered through tiny needles that pierced the skull.25His experiments [also] included the insertion of fine electrically conductive wires into the brains of anaesthetized cats. To noone’s great surprise, given mild electrical stimulation the cats went beserk [Vance Packard,The People Shapers(New York: Bantam Books, 1977); “Hess, Walter Rudolf,”Encyclopedia Americana(New York: Harper & Row, 1969); “Hess, Walter Rudolph,”Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia(New York: Funk & Wagnalls Inc., 1973)].26
Penfield brain mapsDuring the decades of the 1940s and 1950s, [Canadian pioneer]Wilder Penfield…experimented with electrical brain stimulation on patients undergoing surgery. One of Penfield’s discoveries was that the application of electricity on alert patients could stimulate the memory of past events [Project Open Mind] (full pic,"I smell burnt toast" reenactment surgery video).
Since 1949, the Tulane University Department of Psychiatry and Neurology has done experimentation in the implantation of electrodes into patients’ brains. According to one of their staff-generated reports, “By implantation of electrodes into various predetermined specific brain sites of patients capable of reporting thoughts and feelings, we have been able to make invaluable long-term observations…” [“Stereotaxic Implantation of Electrodes in the Human Brain: A Method for Long-Term Study and Treatment,” Heath, John, Fontana, Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine].
Other early researchers into direct brain stimulation wereRobert G. Heath…and his associate, Dr. Russell Monroe. Beginning in 1950, with funding from the CIA and the military, among other sources, they implanted as many as 125 electrodes into subjects’ brains, and also experimented by injecting a wide variety of drugs directly into the brain tissue through small tubes; these drugs included LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline. One of Heath’s memorable suggestions was that lobotomy should be used on subjects, not as a therapeutic measure, but for the convenience of the staff [Heath, Robert G. Undated interview inOmni; Cannon, Martin, “Mind Control and the American Government,” Prevailing Winds, 1994;Human Rights Law Journal, “Freedom of the Mind as an International Human Rights Issue,” Vol. 3, No. 1-4; Ross, M.D., Dr. Colin, “The CIA and Military Mind Control Research: Building the Manchurian Candidate,” lecture given at Ninth Annual Western Clinical Conference on Trauma and Dissociation, April 18, 1996].27Heath of Tulane University, who pioneered the electrical stimulation of human brains, has equipped dangerously aggressive mental patients with self-stimulators. A film shows a patient working himself out of a violent mood by pushing his stimulator button.28
In 1956,James Olds(pic) reported on research in which he had electrically stimulated the brains of rats. Implanting electrodes in rats’ pleasure center of the brain, he attached a device that allowed the rats to activate the electrical impulse. He found that the rats would become so obsessed with self-stimulation that they would literally starve themselves to death.29Very similar results have since been achieved replacing rats with monkeys [and humans as well].30
Stimoceiver (JPG)Jose Delgado, funded by Yale University, the Office of Naval Intelligence, the U.S. Air Force 6571st Aeromedical Research Laboratory, and other institutions, and linked to Spanish fascist groups by researcher John Judge,31…is the man who perfected thestimoceiver[or ‘transdermal stimulator’], a tiny electronic device that is implanted into the brains of humans and animals, and is used to transmit electrical impulses directly to the brain [Delgado, Jose,Physical Control of the Mind(New York: Harper & Row, 1969); and Judge, John, “The Secret Government,”Dharma Combatnumber 10].32
Jose Delgado with bull (JPG)Delgado, in a series of experiments terrifying in their human potential, implanted electrodes in the skull of a bull. Waving a red cape, Delgado provoked the animal to charge. Then, with a signal emitted from a tiny hand-held radio transmitter, he made the beast turn aside in mid-lunge and trot docilely away.33He has [also] been able to “play” monkeys and cats like “little electronic toys” that yawn, hide, fight, play, mate and go to sleepviiion command.34The individual is defenseless against direct manipulation of the brain [Delgado,Physical Control].35
The open publication of Delgado’s bookPhysical Control of the Mindmet with a decidedly cool reaction from the public, and this may have warned other researchers in the field to keep quiet about the subject. To this day, Delgado’s is the only popular book on the subject of implants and electrical stimulation of the brain.36
During the latter days ofMKULTRAresearch, a CIA memorandum, dated 22 November, 1961, announced, “Initial biological work on techniques and brain locations essential to providing conditioning and control of animals has been completed. The feasibility of remote control of activities in several species of animals has been demonstrated.… The ultimate objective of this research is to provide an understanding of the mechanisms involved in the directional control of animals and to provide practical systems suitable for human application.” 37
Later breakthroughs in technology were documented in “Two-Way Transdermal Communication with the Brain,” published in 1975. By this time Delgado had linked his brain implants with computers. The monograph records,
“The most interesting aspect of the transdermal stimoceivers is the ability to perform simultaneous recording and stimulation of brain functions, thereby permitting the establishment of feedbacks and ‘on-demand’ programs of excitation with the aid of the computer. With the increasing sophistication and miniaturization of electronics, it may be possible to compress the necessary circuitry for a small computer into a chip that is implantable subcutaneously. In this way, a new self-contained instrument could be devised, capable of receiving, analyzing, and sending back information to the brain, establishing artificial links between unrelated cerebral areas, functional feedbacks, and programs of stimulation contingent on the appearance of pre-determined patterns” [Delgado, Lipponen, Weiss, del Pozo, Monteagudo, and McMahon, “Two-Way Transdermal Communication with the Brain,” a co-operative publication of the Medical University of Madrid, Spain, and Yale University Medical School, 1975].38
X-ray of implants in monkey's head (JPG)Many popular articles on Delgado intend us to think that his primary purpose was the rehabilitation of the mentally and physically sick. This does not happen to be the case. Delgado was a blatant control freak. An example is Delgado’s experimentation on changing the social orientation of animals. One staging area for this experimentation was an island in the Bermudas, where Delgado maintained a free-roving population of gibbons with electronic implants, using electrical brain boosts to build and destroy social orders among those primates as if he was knocking down a row of dominoes [Packard,People Shapers].39
Although well cited, Delgado’s practical results on humans were extremely limited,ixas most of his research was either merely stated without a results base, or has been reported on second hand.… Reports have been made on his work on the ‘Pandora Project’, which involved modulating electromagnetic fields to a soldier’s head so that the soldier would lose self-control on the battle field. Reports also include how work was carried out to induce schizophrenia artificially through electrical stimulation of the septal zone in the human brain.40
Always a visionary in the Orwellian mold, Delgado said, “Looking into the future, it may be predicted that telerecording and telestimulation of the brain will be widely used” [Delgado, Jose, “Radio Stimulation of the Brain in Primates and Man,” New Haven, Connecticut: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 1969].41He has urged the U.S. government to make “control of the mind” a national goal.42
Another researcher who specialized in brain implants isDr. Stuart Mackay, who in 1968 penned a textbook titledBio-Medical Telemetry. Mackay reported, “Among the many telemetry instruments being used today are miniature radio transmitters that can be swallowed, carried externally, or surgically implanted in man or animal. They permit the simultaneous study of behaviour and physiological functioning. The scope of observations is too broad to more than hint at a few examples. The possibilities are limited only by the imagination of the investigator” [Dr. Stuart Mackay, cited in Glenn Krawcyzyk, “Mind Control Techniques and Tactics of the New World Order,”Nexus, Dec-Jan 1993].43
By 1994, theLondon Timesestimated that in the previous decade there had been 15,000 cases of persons being implanted with electronic brain devices. It is impossible to know if theTimesestimate is at all accurate, since it is unlikely that they would be privy to statistics of secret testing. Certainly, most anti-mind control activists would say that the figure was a gross underestimate.44
In July 1996, information was released on research currently taking place into creation of a computer chip called the “Soul Catcher 2025.” Dr. Chris Winter and a team of scientists at British Telecom’s Martlesham Heath Laboratories, near Ipswich, are developing a chip that, when placed into the skull behind the eye, will record all visual and physical sensations, as well as thoughts. According to Winter, “This is the end of death… By combining this information with a record of the person’s genes, we could recreate a person physically, emotionally, and spiritually.” 45
“The brain is so complex that one wouldn’t at the outset think that replacing any of its parts is doable,” said Dr. Howard Eichenbaum, a professor of psychology at Boston University and director of theLaboratory of Cognitive Neurobiologythere. But advances in neuroscience and computer engineering have made it possible to develop implanted circuits that mimic neural activities, he said. “At least in principle, it looks as though a chip imitating some functions of the hippocampus could be implanted in the future,” he said (pic). “It’s a huge, huge advance in simply duplicating the functions of the hippocampus, which in many ways Dr. [Theodore W.]Berger, [a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California and the director of theCenter for Neural Engineeringthere,] has done.” 46
Brain pacemaker probes (JPG)Electrical devices calleddeep brain stimulators, essentially a pacemaker for the brain, have been used for some years to ease the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Now, they’ve just been approved for another degenerative brain disease called dystonia.… The brain stimulators don’t cure dystonia but…they can give patients a better quality of life. The beneficial effect has lasted for almost a decade so far in Parkinson’s patients, and it’s expected the dystonia effect will also be long lasting.47
Cyberkinetics Inc.of Foxboro, Mass., has received Food and Drug Administration approval [in 2004] to begin a clinical trial in which four-square-millimeter chips will be placed beneath the skulls of paralyzed patients48that would enable [them] to control computers directly with their brains or possibly help them move their limbs.… “Testing these implants in humans is the next step,” said Eberhard E. Fetz, professor at the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Washington, who has been experimenting with brain-signal devices since the late 1960s. “Within a decade, we’ll see these being used regularly to control prosthetic devices or activate a patient’s own muscles.” 49At least two other research teams are planning similar brain-machine experiments in people.50
For the first time in humans [2004], a team headed by University researchers has placed an electronic grid atop patients’ brains to gather motor signals that enable the patients toplay a computer gameusing only the signals from their brains. The use of a grid atop the brain to record the organ’s surface signals is a brain-machine interface technique that useselectrocorticographic(ECoG) activity — data taken invasively directly from the brain surface.… Eric C. Leuthardt, M.D., a WUSTL neurosurgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Daniel Moran, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, performed their research on four adult epilepsy patients who had the grids implanted so that neurologists could find the area in the brain serving as the focus for an epileptic seizure, with hopes of removing it to avoid future seizures.… “To put this in perspective,” Leuthardt said, “the previous EEG-based xsystems are equivalent to a 1908 Wright brothers airplane in regards to speed of learning to achieve control. Right now, with our results, we're flying around in an F-16 jet.” 51
Probes implanted in the brain for diagnosis and treatment could be improved with nanoscale carbon fibers. Biomedical engineerThomas WebsterfromPurdue Universityin West Lafayette, Indiana and colleagues developed a carbon nanofiber-reinforced plastic composite to determine whether it could improve neural and orthopedic prosthetics.
Neural prosthetics, usually made of silicon, can become covered in scar tissue. Orthopedic implants, usually made of titanium or titanium alloys, often become covered in soft tissue.
Knowing that carbon nanofibers andnanotubeshave electrical and mechanical properties that might make them suitable for prosthesis, the researchers tested composites of 60-odd nanometer carbon nanofibers in polycarbonate urethane. Polycarbonate urethane is already approved for human use.
They found that neurons cultured on the nanofiber composite developed neurite extensions, which are the first step towards axons and a sign that the materials could encourage interactions essential to neural probes. Additionally, the material had less adhesion to astrocytes, which can impede neural function by producing scar tissue.
For orthopedic applications, the researchers found that bone-forming cells adhered better to composites with a high volume of nanofibers but cells that produce soft fibrous tissue stuck less readily.
The research is reported in the journalNanotechnology(read abstract).52
100 electrode array used by Kevin Warwick (JPG)[Related to brain implants are implants that are connected to nerves from different parts of the body. ProfessorKevin Warwick, for example, had implants inserted into his and his wife’s arms allowing two-way communication. The results were published in his book,I, Cyborg.]
[Another man, whose arms needed to be amputated,] underwent surgery to graft existing nerve endings from his shoulder onto the pectoral muscle on his chest. Those nerves grew into the muscle after about six months. Electrodes on the graft can now pick up any thought-generated nerve impulses to the now-absent limb and transmit those to [a] mechanical prosthesis, controlling the movements of the [“bionic”] arm.53
[The television seriesRipley’s Believe it or Notthat aired on 5 June 2004 included a segment about French doctors who implanted a computer chip in a paralyzed man’s abdomin connected to implants in his legs that allowed him to stand and walk with a walker by means of computer control.]
Not everyone is thrilled at the prospect of a post-human future populated by cyborgs,designer children, conscious computers,xiimmortals and disembodied minds roaming the Internet.… [Critics] think this could be the worst calamity to befall us, both as individuals and as a species.xiiAnd they argue we should be taking steps to prevent it.55
If cyborgs are created with superhuman capabilities from a normal human start point, then it certainly brings about a threat to humanity itself. Perhaps the development of direct, military-style cyborgs might be possible to avoid. After all, when cyborgs exhibiting an intelligence that far surpasses that of humans are brought about, it will surely be the cyborgs themselves that make any decisions about how they treat humans.56
[Marvin Minsky, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence,] celebrates a future when humans will be able to “upload” the contents of their brains into computers or robotbrains.…[Ray Kurzweil] recently called for replacing the body’s often imperfect molecular blueprint, DNA, withsoftware.…“Transhumanists want to use technology to enhance and fulfill human potential,” [James Hughes, executive director of theWorld Transhumanist Associationbased in Willington, Conn.,] said. “That’s very hard to do if you die after only 70 years.” 57
“Humanity’s ability to alter its own brain function might well shape history as powerfully as the development of metallurgy in the Iron Age,” cognitive neuroscientist Martha Farah and eight co-authors write in a[n]…issueofNature Reviews Neuroscience.58
iA handful of researchers are plumbing the potential of the bionic eye, including Wheaton, Ill.-basedOptobionics Corp., led by Dr. Alan Chow, a pediatric ophthalmologist whose artificial silicon retinas have slight [sic] improved the vision of the six patients who’ve received them.
— Jim Krane (The Associated Press) “Bionic Eye Follows Bionic Ear,”Yahoo! News, 27 May 2002.

iiA small, precise dose of electricity can restore sight to some of the million or so Americans considered legally blind. For the past few months, two patients have made out doctors in white lab coats, among other things, thanks to a complex apparatus…made bySecond Sight, a privately held firm in Santa Clarita, Calif. The device includes a tiny antenna inside the eye and a retinal implant with pencil-tip-size electrodes that fire electrical signals directly onto the optic nerves and brain. The resolution is extremely crude because there are only 16 electrodes, not enough to recognize faces. Second Sight and a consortium of research laboratories recently received a $9 million federal grant to find a way to squeeze 1,000 electrodes onto the array to make the picture sharper. Powered by an external battery, a mini video camera screwed into a pair of eyeglasses will wirelessly beam images to the array (pic) — all for an estimated cost, including surgery, of $25,000. Scientists concede facial recognition may be five to ten years away. So far, Second Sight has reported no negative side effects in the two patients undergoing clinical trials.
— Aliya Sternstein, “Seeing-Eye Chip,”Forbes, 14 Oct 2002.

iiiA pea-sized miniature telescope inserted into the eye is showing promise in improving vision for people with macular degeneration.… Once the telescope is implanted, the eyes no longer work together because the brain cannot merge the magnified image in one eye with the normal image in the other eye. The one-hour surgery involves removing the eye lens and placing the telescope into the patient’s eye with the poorest vision. The eye telescope is one of the newest developments in a bionic revolution, in which plastic, metal and polymers are used to create artificial muscles, ears and other organs that researchers hope will improve the quality of life. “There’s no question there will be a tremendous number of advances in the future that will include devices, whether electrical or mechanical, which will enhance the function of our organs,” said Steve Goldstein, a University of Michigan Henry Ruppenthal family professor of orthopedic surgery and bioengineering.

ivAn implantable chip that can serve as both a prosthetic retina and a drug delivery system has been developed to treat age-related blindness and conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Created by researchers at theStanford University School of Medicinein California, the chip communicates chemically rather than electrically, using neurotransmitters to stimulate cells.… Because the chip can draw droplets of fluid in as well as out, it could also enable researchers to take samples in real time, giving them a chemical picture of what goes on in living tissues during certain processes.

vPhysicians of theHouse Ear Clinichave successfully implanted the first two patients with aPenetrating Electrode Auditory Brainstem Implant(PABI), a revolutionary prosthetic device that is currently in clinical trials. The PABI is based on cochlear implant technology, but extends the utility to stimulating the hearing portions of the brain to restore some degree of hearing function to people deafened by bilateral tumors on their hearing and balance nerves (vestibular schwannomas). The PABI is a modified version of the existing Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI) with the addition of an assembly of microelectrodes, designed to penetrate into the auditory portion of the brainstem (cochlear nucleus) and send sound signals to the brain.

viBe on guard next time you step into the shower. It might not be a regular cockroach watching you on the ceiling. It could be a well-heeled voyeur’s spy filming you!
— Ron Henderson, trans., “Cockroaches on a secret mission,”Sydsvenska Dagbladet, 18 Jan 1997, athttp://magazine.magnus.se/artikele.asp?artikel=kackerla.

viiThe idea that advance in neurotechnology will one day allow us to video our whole lives from somewhere inside our brains throws up all kinds of issues about privacy, about the world being a stage, about how we edit and censor our own memories and about how one day someone else may do this job for us.
— Lee Marshall, Screen review “The Final Cut,” athttp://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=16330&r=true.

viiiSleep induced by electrical stimulation of the brain is similar to spontaneous sleep.
— José M. R. Delgado, M.D.,Physical Control of the Mind: Toward a Psychocivilized Society(New York: Harper & Row, 1969), p. 158.

ixIn 1950 the Agency [CIA] tooled up for a battery of mind control experiments on human guinea pigs, underwritten by a network of scientific foundations and academic fronts. Neuropsychiatrists at Tulane, McGill, Yale, UCLA and Harvard, some of them laboring beside Nazi imports, researched the use of brain implants to control behavior.… A monograph written in the 1960s by Dr. Jose Delgado, a Yale psychiatrist hailing from Franco’s Spain, detailed his experiments on an 11-year-old boy with electrodes implanted in his brain. Dr. Delgado stimulated his young subject’s synapses with a radio transmitter at a range of 100 feet. The boy was immediately stripped of his sexual identity, reporting that he wasn’t sure if he was a boy or a girl.
— Alex Constantine, “Journal Preview; 12/95: The Constantine Report,” athttp://www.mindcontrolforums.com/cnst-nws.htm.

x[Operant conditioningis used in the science of electroencephalograph (EEG)-based cursor control brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies. By successive training of mu (and beta) brainwaves,a cursor can be moved on a computer screen just by thinking about it.]

xiAccording to Moore’s Law, computer power doubles every 18 months, meaning that computers will be a million times more powerful by 2034. According to Nielsen’s Law of Internet bandwidth, connectivity to the home grows by 50 percent per year; by 2034, we’ll have 200,000 times more bandwidth. That same year, I’ll own a computer that runs at 3PHz CPU speed, has a petabyte (a thousand terabytes) of memory, half an exabyte (a billion gigabytes) of hard disk-equivalent storage and connects to the Internet with a bandwidth of a quarter terabit (a trillion binary digits) per second. The specifics may vary: Instead of following current Moore’s Law trajectories to speed up a single CPU, it’s likely that we’ll see multiprocessors, smart dust and other ways of getting the equivalent power through a more advanced computer architecture.… By 2034, we’ll finally get decent computer displays, with a resolution of about 20,000 pixels by 10,000 pixels (as opposed to the miserly 2048 pixels by 1536 pixels on my current monitor). Although welcomed, my predicted improvement factor of 200 here is relatively small; history shows that display technology has the most dismal improvement curve of any computer technology, except possibly batteries.
— Jakob Nielsen, “Thirty years with computers,”News.com, 27 May 2004.

xii[Ethicist Joel Anderson at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri,] points out that it will take time for people to accept the technology. “Initially people thought heart transplants were an abomination because they assumed that having the heart you were born with was an important part of who you are.”

See also: http://facebook.com/SkewsMeScience
http://www.skewsme.com/implants.html#axzz1jkGQ3NOP

Brain Implants

Direct neural control of complex machines is a long-term U.S. military goal. DARPA has a brain-machine interface program aimed at creating next-generation wireless interfaces between neural systems and, initially, prosthetics and other biomedical devices.
— Rodney Brooks, “Toward a Brain-Internet Link,” WirelessNewsFactor, 10 Dec 2003.


Continue ---

See also

The work of Jose Delgado, a pioneering star
Brain-machine interface: Can thoughts control machines?
Microchip Implants, Mind Control, and Cybernetics by Rauni-Leena Luukanen-Kilde, MD Former Chief Medical Officer of Finland December 6, 2000, athttp://www.conspiracyarchive.com/NWO/microchip_implants_mind_contro...(referenced: 28 November 2009).
CIA Mind Control
Brain implant timeline
George Orwell Meets the Matrix (timeline)
George Orwell Meets the Matrix by Maureen Farrell
Percutaneous pedestal
Cortical implants
Neural Computers
Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Neuroprosthesis Research Organization
W. Ross Ashby’s “An Introduction to Cybernetics”
OpenEEG project

    Cochlear and ocular implant videos:

    Lamprey cyborg video:

    Rat cyborg audio:

    Remote-controlled rat video:

    Primate Research Could Lead to Robotic Prosthetic (audio) (29 Oct 2004):

Conditioning
Hypnotism
Cloning

Wilder Penfield brain maps
Lamprey cyborg









Remote-controlled cockroach










 


Examples of guided rat navigation using brain microstimulation. Sketches are constructed from digitized video recordings. Red dots indicate rat head positions at 1-s intervals; green dots indicate positions at which reward stimulations were administered to the medial forebrain bundle (MFB); blue arrows indicate positions at which right (R) and left (L) directional cues were issued; black arrows indicate positions 0.5 s after directional commands. a, Route followed by a rat guided through a slalom course. Inset, detail of the events that took place inside the dashed enclosure. b, Route taken by a rat guided over a three-dimensional obstacle course. The animal was instructed to climb a vertical ladder, cross a narrow ledge, descend a flight of steps, pass through a hoop and descend a steep (70º) ramp. Two rounds of high-density MFB stimulation were required to guide the rat successfully down the ramp, demonstrating the motivational qualities of MFB stimulation.
— Sanjiv K. Talwar, Shaohua Xu, Emerson S. Hawley, Shennan A. Weiss, Karen A. Moxon & John K. Chapin, “Behavioural neuroscience: Rat navigation guided by remote control,” Nature, 417, 37-38 (2002).

Canadian and German researchers have grown snail nerve cells on a microchip and showed the cells have memory and can communicate. The researchers say this melding of machine and biology has a wide-range of potential applications.
— “Calgary scientist grows brain cells on microchip,” CBC News, 1 March 2004.

A bright yellow slime mould that can grow to several metres in diameter has been put in charge of a scrabbling, six-legged robot. The Physarum polycephalum slime, which naturally shies away from light, controls the robot's movement so that it too keeps out of light and seeks out dark places in which to hide itself. They grew slime in a six-pointed star shape on top of a circuit and connected it remotely, via a computer, to the hexapod bot. Any light shone on sensors mounted on top of the robot were used to control light shone onto one of the six points of the circuit-mounted mould – each corresponding to a leg of the bot. As the slime tried to get away from the light its movement was sensed by the circuit and used to control one of the robot's six legs. The robot then scrabbled away from bright lights as a mechanical embodiment of the mould.
— Will Knight, “Robot moved by slime mould’s fears,” NewScientist, 13 Feb 2006.

The Pentagon's defence scientists want to create an army of cyber-insects that can be remotely controlled.… The idea is to insert micro-systems at the pupa stage, when the insects can integrate them into their body.… The foreign objects it suggests to be implanted are specific micro-systems - Mems - which, when the insect is fully developed, could allow it to be remotely controlled or sense certain chemicals, including those in explosives.… The new scheme is a brainwave of the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), which is tasked with maintaining the technological superiority of the US military.… The invasive surgery could "enable assembly-line like fabrication of hybrid insect-Mems interfaces", Darpa says.… Darpa was founded in 1958 to keep US military technology ahead of Cold War rivals.
— BBC News, 16 March 2006   

A microscopic view of rat neurons growing on a multi-electrode array in a petri dish trained to pilot a virtual F-22 fighter jet.
See: Neural Computers

http://peacepink.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2351430%3ABlogPost%3A116374&xg_source=activity&page=2#comments
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Magnetic Stim Attracts a Crowd


 
It wasn’t that long ago that magnetic stimulation was looked at as somewhat suspect by many in the neurotechnology industry. But now the number of new entrants in the magnetic neuromodulation space is growing steadily, supplementing existing players using magnetic devices in stimulation, neurodiagnostics, and research.
Some of the credit for this upsurge in interest in magnetic stimulation can be attributed to Neuronetics, Inc., the Malvern, PA manufacturer of transcranial magnetic stimulation systems. The company’s NeuroStar system received FDA approval for major depressive disorder in 2008, and in 2011 Neuronetics announced that Category I CPT codes were available for the procedure, making reimbursement much easier.
At least one new entrant hopes to follow in Neuronetics’ footsteps. NeoStim Inc., a startup in San Mateo, CA, cites the existence of an FDA-cleared TMS therapy and the CPT codes as reasons why NeoStim is a sound investment. NeoStim’s device features an array of coils that the company says offers greater target selectivity than the NeuroStar system because of the multiple overlapping fields. The company plans to pursue other indications besides depression, including pain and addiction. Another startup, Israeli-based Neuronix Ltd., is developing a TMS system for treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
eNeuras Therapeutics (formerly Neuralieve) in Sunnyvale, CA is developing a single-pulse TMS device for home use for treatment of migraine. Its SpringTMS Total Migraine System is placed at the back of the head for less than a minute, generating a focused, single magnetic pulse that induces a mild electric current in the back of the brain.
Magnetic stimulation devices are also gaining popularity in neurosensing and presurgical planning applications. Nexstim Ltd., the Finland-based manufacturer, markets its MRI-guided TMS system NBS to neurosurgeons as an alternative to direct cortical stimulation. The company is investigating other neurodiagnostic and therapeutic applications of its system, including stroke recovery and pain.
One of the oldest TMS product lines in existence is the MagVenture’s MagPro system, first introduced in 1992 (previously marketed under Dantec, Medtronic, and Natus Medical brand names).  UK-based MagStim Ltd. has also been marketing its line of TMS stimulators for many years. In 2010, the company teamed with the Dutch ANT B.V. (Advanced Neuro Technology) to market a magnetic neuronavigation system called Visor, which features integration with MRI, fMRI, and EEG.
We suspect that there will be even more magnetic ventures forthcoming in the years ahead as the road to FDA approval for more invasive forms of neuromodulation continues to be difficult.
Originally published in Neurotech Business Reports, May 2011, p2 
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Non-invasive trigeminal neural stimulator for epilepsy treatment

About one third of epilepsy sufferers are refractory to drug treatment.  When drugs are ineffective, these people find their hope in brain-applied electrical stimulation. Several commercial neuroprosthetic devices have been successful in providing at least partial relief. They include a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) from Cyberonics Inc., and a deep brain stimulator fromMedtronic Inc., and cortical stimulation device from NeuroPace Inc. These devices are surgically implanted and cut the number of seizures in half or more in about 40% of drug-resistant patients. Currently, there is no neurological test to predict who will benefit from electrical stimulation. To solve this problem, Dr. Christopher DeGiorgio, a neurologist at UCLA, decided to use an external stimulator to estimate whether the epilepsy sufferers would benefit stimulation therapy before an invasive surgery is performed to implant a permanent device. His stimulator activates a superficially-located trigeminal nerve, a large cranial nerve that projects to key parts of the brain that modulate seizure and mood. The stimulation is applied at the forehead, while the electrode leads are connected to a small wearable pulse generator. According to the initial clinical test, the stimulator has similar efficacy to the implantable VNS. A positive side-effect of trigeminal nerve stimulation is an improvement in mood, which is important as many epilepsy patients suffer from depression. A startup company NeuroSigma Inc. has licensed the approach to stimulate the trigeminal nerve for epilepsy, depression, and PTSD, and is developing an implantable version for those who find relief with the externally-applied device.

Portable brain imaging system for early stroke detection


Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of disability. While some 1.5 million people in the US report stroke-like symptoms annually, half of them have actually not suffered a stroke. Making a reliable assessment of stroke in just minutes would provide timely information for treating the victims faster, at lower cost, and with less risk. Jan Medical developed the first and so far the only portable brain sensing device for rapid detection of ischemic stroke. The device is aimed to be used in the ER or ambulance, before a thorough evaluation can be made in a hospital setting with a CT or MRI. The device operation is based on an interesting principle of detecting the ultrasonic waves emitted by the skull. The device does not measure back-reflection of the emitted ultrasound from the brain; instead, it measures natural mechanical vibrations of the skull. These vibrations are generated by a pressure wave of blood rushing from the heart toward the skull during each pulse.  In 5 minutes, the device collects enough information to detect a variety of cerebrovascular anomalies: an intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage, epidural or subdural hematoma, intracranial aneurysm, arteriovenous malformations, ischemic stroke, or transient ischemic attack. The device consists of two primary components: a headset with sensors and a controller for decoding the collected ultrasonic information connected to a computer. Jan Medical markets its device primarily for early detection of stroke as well as the traumatic brain injury, such as sports-related concussion that is often not detected on the field leaving it to a discretion of a team physician to clear the player for return to the game. The device can also be used for rapid military diagnostics of traumatic brain injury at the battlefield.

Tackling the challenge of long-term cortical electrode functionality

Earlier this month, DARPA released a call for proposals addressing a key challenge in the brain-machine interfaces (BMI) – the reliability of cortical electrode-tissue interface. As seen in the chart above (taken from this DARPA presentation by Prof. Jack Judy), existing intracortical electrode arrays (such as BrainGate) can extract a lot of information from the cortex (1500 events/s and more) but their performance drops off by 50% in about one year after their implantation. By 3-5 years after implantation, performance further deteriorates to a point where their informational flow is no longer above that of peripheral nerve electrodes. The DARPA initiative aims to explore novel revolutionary approaches to improve the long-term reliability of neural recordings to sustain high information flow needed for controlling an artificial hand or arm. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to develop the intracortical array that can provide the life-long information flow of 2000+ events/s to control the 22-degrees-of-freedom artificial arm recently developed by DARPA. Achieving this very ambitious goal will likely require a concerted effort of multiple research groups working together on different aspects of the problem, ranging from the design of novel biocompatible and neurotropic/ immuno-suppressive electrode materials to development of robust non-linear state-dependent decoding algorithms and advanced techniques for device packaging and wireless telemetry.

Infrared light for possible treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases

According to a recent MedGadget post, a Colorado-based company Clarimedixhas developed a BandAid-looking device that can be attached on the neck’s skin and emits infrared light onto the carotid artery. The device is being evaluated for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The company’s website provides scant scientific explanation for its therapeutic action indicating just that light modulates the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the brain . To expand on their rationale, I examined recent literature on this subject and sketched the diagram (see the image) illustrating the hypothetical mechanism of device’s action. According to one recent review, NO has two opposing effects on neurons. On one hand, NO is involved in neuroprotection by activating the Akt, Bcl-2, and MAP kinase survival pathways. On the other hand, NO inhibits mitochondrial respiration (by blocking the activity of cytochrome c oxidase), therefore depleting neurons of energy and ultimately leading to their inflammation and death. The harmful effect of NO on mitochondrial respiration can be reversed by light, at least in vitro. So, by illuminating the carotid artery, the Clarimedix device modulates the NO release and possibly helps to suppress the progression of neuroinflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis,  Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The evidence for its therapeutic action is very weak at the moment but non-invasive nature of the therapy will hopefully allow for a quick and inexpensive clinical trial.

Treating brain glioblastoma with alternating electric fields 

Glioblastoma is the most common type of brain tumor affecting 0.002-0.003% of general population. In glioblastoma, the astrocytes (neuron-supporting glial cells) turn into cancerous cells, start to divide frequently  and gradually form a large mass pressing against the brain. Glioblastoma is a challenging disease to treat as dosages of radiotherapy and chemotherapy are limited by their toxicity to the brain tissue. The use of alternating electrical fields is a novel approach that aims to suppress the division (mitosis) of malignant cells while sparing non-dividing neuronal cells in their vicinity. An Israeli-based company NovoCure Ltd.developed a stimulation device, Novo-TTF, which delivers alternating electric fields through insulated electrodes attached on the scalp surface. The scientific foundation of this approach comes from the study by the Technion scientists showing that alternating electrical fields can stop the cells from dividing and can even destroy them, if the cells are oriented roughly along the field direction. Importantly, the dividing cells inside the blood vessels appear to be unaffected. The key concern for the therapeutic use of alternating electric fields relates to their effects on neurons. At low frequencies, under 1 kHz, alternating electric fields stimulate neurons. As the frequency of the electric field increases above 1 kHz, the field can better penetrate through the cellular membrane, and its effect on neuronal excitability is diminished. At even higher frequencies, above 100 MHz, the brain exposure becomes localized and significant local heating can occur. Faced with these possible side-effects of low and high frequencies, the scientists decided to stick with intermediate frequencies of 100–200 kHz.  The electric fields at these frequencies might be relatively safe as long as their intensity is kept below the threshold for inducing the pore formation in the cellular membrane, through a phenomenon called electroporation. A recently completed phase III trial of the Novo-TTF device alleviates some of these concerns by showing no change in incidences of headaches or seizures in patients. The device is likely to be approved for use in the US within the next three months.

Video of the fabrication steps for Argus III retinal prosthetic device

























The US Department of Energy-funded Artificial Retina project is geared toward developing an epi-retinal prosthesis. To date, the effort resulted in fabrication of Argus I and Argus II devices with, respectively, 16 and 60 sites for retinal stimulation. The Argus II device has been commercialized by the companySecond Sight and already gained the marketing approval in Europe with plans for the US approval in 2012.  Meanwhile, the continued effort is underway at the Center for Microtechnology and Nanotechnology at the Lawrence Livermore National Labs (LLNL) to fabricate the third-generation device, Argus III, that will have 1000 or more stimulation sites.  Those who are curious about the advanced microfabrication steps involved in making the Argus III can have a look at this videoproduced by the LLNL. The video is shot at spectacular 1080p and details all major steps from patterning the layers to device release from the wafer and its integration with a wireless chip.

Medtronic introduces the prototype of a tiny wireless pacemaker … but lacks the technology to power the device


Dr. Stephen Oesterle, Medtronic’s senior vice president for medicine and technology, made an announcement about an interesting new device at works at the world’s largest medical device company – the tiny injectable pacemaker. Judging by the provided photo of the prototype, its width is ~2 mm and length is ~6 mm, allowing it to be implanted into the heart via a small catheter rather than an invasive surgery. Medtronic’s R&D department has already developed an ASIC chip featuring most of the components—an oscillator to generate current, a capacitor to store and rapidly dispense charge, memory to store data, and a data telemetry system. “What we don’t have that is fundamental to a pacemaker is a way to power the chip,” said Oesterle. It is not clear whether Medtronic will try to develop this crucial piece of technology in-house or to buy the patent rights from others. Considering that the device would have to deliver tens of mA of current (perhaps more), the power telemetry development might be not an easy task. Additional challenges facing the device developers include deep device placement and limited space for the antenna given the small device size. For these reasons, it might not be feasible to use the existing RF inductive-coupling power telemetry technologies developed for superficially-placed neurostimulation devices, such as theRF-BIONTM Implantable Microstimulator from AMF and the SAINTTM from MicroTransponder Inc. Other possibilities do exist, such as the resonant antennas operating at microwave frequencies, but these technologies have a long way to go before they are applied for any biomedical applications. I guess, we will be more certain about the Medtronic’s plans once they start hiring the microwave antenna engineers.

First clinical trial of a brain-controlled artificial arm to begin by summer’s end


Since 2005, DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has invested more than $100M into development of the brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) by sponsoring two programs,Revolutionizing Prosthetics and Human-Assisted Neural Devices. Most of that funding went into creation of two BMI-controlled artificial arms – the 10-degrees-of-freedom (DoF) DEKA “Luke” Arm by DEKA R&D Corp. and the 22-DoF Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL) by Johns Hopkins University together with University of Pittsburgh and California Institute of Technology. A smaller effort to develop the 3-DoF BMI-controlled artificial arm is also underway in Germany by the company Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH. It now appears that DARPA’s investment into neuroprosthetic control of the arm may begin to materialize as early as this summer. The BMI control of the MPL arm will be made possible by the array of penetrating electrodes implanted into the motor cortex of five quadriplegic patients. The silicon-based array will record the multi-unit activity in the cortical area that controls the arm movement and the recorded information will be used to predict the intended direction and force of movement. Penetrating silicon-based arrays have been already successfully tested in monkeys, demonstrating the feasibility of decoding the intent of different movements from cortical signals. The biggest remaining problem is a rapid deterioration in the quality of neural recordings from cortical arrays, ranging from several months to a year.  A range of strategies can potentially overcome this problem: 1) by making the electrodes less stiff, 2) by removing the wires tethering the array to the skull, and 3) by using a biomimetic array coating to improve its biocompatibility and reduce the immune response. It is unlikely that any of these novel strategies will actually be used in the first generation of cortical arrays for the MPL control. Nevertheless, the upcoming clinical trial will be a positive event for the BMI R&D community after suffering a setback from the failed BrainGate trial three years ago. Progression of the BMI-MPL clinical trial will be closely monitored and guided by the FDA, which, after extensive talks with DARPA, recently created theInnovation Pathway specifically for such pioneering and transformative medical technologies. By utilizing this Pathway, the FDA aims to cut the premarket approval process time in half (to 150 days or less), suggesting a smooth commercialization path for the BMI-MPL after conclusion of its clinical trials.

Penetrating electrode arrays for retinal stimulation


On the heеls of the previous post, here is another news bit on the topic of retinal implants. Over the years, we have witnessed a variety of approaches being applied for retinal stimulation, including the epiretinal, subretinal, and suprachoroidal. One feature, however, remained unchanged in those varied types of implants – a planar geometry of the stimulation array.  At least until now. As the competition in the retinal implant sector is heating up,  the issues of low-power operation and improved electrode contact with retinal neurons is fueling the development of stimulation arrays featuring the 3D geometries. Improved charge delivery to retinal neurons has been achieved a few years ago by fabricating the protruding 3D nanoelectrodes in Daniel Palanker’s lab at Stanford University and atDong-Il Dan Cho’s and Sung June Kim’s labs at Seoul National University. Now, preparing to reach even deeper into the retina, the Israeli company Nano-Retina Inc., co-founded by Rainbow Medical Ltd. and Zyvex Labs. , is developing the Bio-Retina implant featuring the array of 100-µm-sized penetrating electrodes. Their length should allow the electrodes to reach the layer of bipolar cells that are spared in AMD and other degenerating retinal disorders. The first-generation array will have 24×24 electrodes and the second – 72×72. Power to the device will be delivered wirelessly using the infrared light beamed from the glasses. To expedite their efforts in developing the low-power IC chip with the built-in photodetector array and power telemetry, Nano-Retina has teamed up with CMES (Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique), a non-profit R&D center in Switzerland. According to their (perhaps too optimistic) estimates they plan to have the functional device ready for clinical trials by 2013 and even have estimated the target price of $60K for the Bio-Retina implant. We wish the best of luck to this young ambitious company, hoping it has what it takes to develop a device from scratch in such a short period of time.

Organic film photodetectors for retinal implants


An important issue for the realization of retinal prosthetic devices is a conversion of light into electrical energy using photodetectors. Theexisting implants utilize the photodetectors made from semiconductors, either silicon or GaAs/AlGaAs, which exhibt moderate efficiency of photovoltaic energy conversion. Recently, the photodiodes based onnanoscale photo-ferroelectric thin films have been evaluated in order to overcome the charge injection limit of semiconductor photodiodes, imposed by the band gap of the p-n junction. However, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of ferroelectric materials is too small to make them a viable option for retinal implants. The silicon-based photodetectors, although practical, provide the quantum efficiency of about 1000 times lower than the retinal photoreceptors, so that an intense eye irradiation, required for their operation, may be damaging (phototoxic) to remaining retinal photoreceptors. Faced with this challenge, Dr. Lanzani from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and Politecnico di Milano in Italy decided to evaluate the soft organic film photodetectors, which have the advantages of biocompatibility, flexibility, minimal heat dissipation, and inexpensive deposition by ink-jet printers. Dr. Lanzani used the fullerene–polythiophene film, commonly used in organic solar cells, patterned on one side with the indium tin oxide to form a transparent electrode for neuronal stimulation. The organic film photodetectors remained functional after a month of in vitro testing. Let’s hope that an upcoming in vivo testing in the eye will validate the efficacy and safety of novel photodetectors.

Innovative research in the field of brain-computer interface (BCI) 

The BCI encompasses multiple types of neural technology united by a common purpose of assisting, augmenting, or repairing human cognitive or sensory-motor functions at the cortical level.  Taking its roots from the EEG interfaces in early 1970s, the BCI field has gradually grown to include other non-invasive techniques, such as the NIRS (near infrared-spectroscopy), fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), and MEG (magnetoencephalogram). It has also evolved to include the invasive technologies, such as the electrocorticogram (ECoG) and penetrating cortical electrodes. In 2010, an international committee, headed by Dr. Gerwin Schalk of the Wadsworth Center (Albany, NY), critically evaluated the trends and developments in the BCIs by focusing on its novel applications and technological improvements. The  committee examined 57 submissions and selected the winner of 2010 BCI Research Award – a team led by Dr. Guan Cuntai from A*STAR, Singapore – for his work on motor-imagery based BCI coupled to a robotic arm and used for rehabilitation after stroke. The 2011 BCI Research Award will be awarded during the 5th International BCI Workshop on Sept. 22-24, 2011 in Graz, Austria. In the analysis of nominations for the 2010 award, the EEG is clearly the predominant technology accounting for 75% of nominations, while the fMRI and ECoG accounting for 3.5% each, NIRS accounting for 1.8%, and penetrating electrodes accounting for 0.9%. Current philosophy in the BCI development is dominated by four assumptions, stated in a recent article by Prof. Jon Wolpaw of the Wadsworth Center: (1) intended actions are fully represented in the cerebral cortex; (2) neuronal action potentials can provide the best picture of an intended action; (3) the best BCI is one that records action potentials and decodes them; and (4) ongoing mutual adaptation by the BCI user and the BCI system is not very important. According to Prof. Wolpaw, these assumptions are flawed. Indeed, much of the motor control occurs at the spinal cord, brainstem, and deep brain levels. Further complication for BCI is that the cortical involvement in the motor control is state-dependent and continually adapts to optimize the performance in different tasks. Present generation of BCI algorithms do not account for such state-dependent and performance-driven adaptations therefore their effectiveness quickly degradesover a period of several days. Yet another level of complexity for decoding of cortical signals stems from the profound slowly-developing plasticity in the motor cortex after the stroke or spinal cord injury. Fortunately, novel adaptive learning algorithms, like those in the IBM’s Jeopardy-winning computer Watson, continue to grow in sophistication and eventually should attain the adaptability needed for handling the challenges of BCI.

The amygdala as a possible neuromodulation target for treatment of PTSD

The fear is one of the strongest emotions that drive our behavior. And the amygdala is the central hub for processing the fear responses. How would our life be changed if we were to lose both of the amygdalae? While the animals can be deprived of fear by knocking out Stathmin, a cytoskeleton regulatory protein concentrated in the amygdala and other parts of the fear circuit, these animals cannot report on their internal subjective experience. Unfortunately, no drug is presently safe enough for a temporary amygdala inactivation in humans. Our understanding of a human condition without the amygdalae has been, therefore, rather limited, relying on a handful of patients with a rare genetic disorder, the Urbach-Wiethe disease, which produces bilateral calcifications on the medial temporal lobes, ultimately leading to a destruction of the amygdalae. One of these patients, a woman called S.M., has been studied extensively since 1994 and provided the wealth of psychological and neurological information about her condition. During the course of an extensive psychological evaluation, she reported feeling upset, angry, and irritable, but on no occasion did S.M. experience any fear, guilt, or shame, induced either by real-life experiences (being held up at knife point and at gun point) or by unpleasant thoughts (e.g. about dying). These findings suggest that because of her amygdala damage, S.M. became immune to the devastating effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Similarly to S.M., the Vietnam War veterans with considerable damage to the amygdala have a lower occurrence of PTSD, as described in this Nature Neuroscience 2007 paper. Moreover, when PTSD patients are provoked to recall their traumatic memories, they exhibit an increased activity in the amygdala and the head of the caudate nucleus, as reported in this recent fMRI study. Overall, there is a considerable body of knowledge suggesting that the amygdala inactivation, perhaps through chronic neuromodulation, could be an effective method for PTSD treatment.

Novel platform technology for neuromodulation applications

The present-day neuromodulation technology has been around for 25 years despite the advances in microfabricaion methods and electronics. In part that is due to a lack of novel scalable platform technologies with proven reliability of electrode-tissue interface, interconnects, and packaging. One of such platform technologies is now being developed by Dr. John Parker at the Sydney-based Implant Systems Group of the Australian research center NICTA. Leveraging from the cochlear implant technology, developed by the Cochlear Corp., Parker and his coworkers are developing a modular platform consisting of the multi-channel electrodes, sensors, actuators, processing elements, and packaging. Among the novel features of this platform are: a novel method for microfabrication of the electrode arrays involving the wire electrodes sawn into polymer yarn, novel biocompatible chip-scale hermetic packaging, and novel ASIC architecture for highly distributed neurostimulation systems employing optical data transmission. Targeted neuromodulation applications for this platform technology range from movement disorders (Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor) to obesity and depression. Perhaps because of a relative simplicity of epidural spinal implantation and a limited number of required stimulation channels, the chronic intractable pain was chosen as the first target application of the technology.  The INS2 device will include all key components of the platform including the yarn-woven electrodes with recording and stimulation capability, the ASIC chip, and a rechargeable battery with power telemetry. The human trials will begin sometime in 2011. If successful, the technology will be commercialized by a new spin-out company Saluda Medical.    

Harvesting light and heat energy from the body with a hybrid device


Rechargeable batteries are increasingly more common in neural implants, removing the need for multiple surgeries to replace a depleted battery. Alternative strategies are being developed for replenishing the energy of the battery. The most established method of energy delivery is via radio waves. Recent shift toward the use of higher frequencies in the 0.1-1 GHz band made the rectenna (receiving antenna) extremely small. This allowed the implant to fit within an injectable needle for a minimally invasive delivery at a location near a peripheral nerve. In order to eliminate the need for coupling the implant with an external charging device, methods are being developed for harvesting the energy from the human body. These methods utilize the energy of light (visible or infrared), heat, or vibration.  Harvesting of visible light can be done most efficiently in the retina, while infrared light can penetrate the skin and be used for transcutaneous powering of the implants. In the body, amount of energy available for harvesting is rather limited, so that multiple forms of energy – such as light and heat, or light and vibrations – can be used simultaneously in order to collect a sufficient amount for practical use. This can be achieved by combining different kinds of energy transducers. In pursuit of this approach, Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a new hybrid harvesting device that captures energy from either light or heat in a single device. Their device is manufactured from inexpensive organic materials, keeping the production costs low. The device contains two types of semiconductor materials – P-type and N-type semiconductors – allowing it to function as a photovoltaic cell or thermoelectric generator. Importantly, their hybrid device can be fabricated on flexible substrate for easy accommodation into different implant shapes.  The company is currently refining the technology to increase its performance, and aims to commercialize it by around 2015.


Ion-selective electrodes for manipulating cation availability in nerve stimulation and for neural conduction block


During stimulation, the applied electrical charge induces similar flows of multiple extracellular cations (K+,Na+ and Ca2+) in the electrode vicinity. This is rather counter-productive as these cations play varying roles in the initiation and propagation of action potentials. As a result, a significant percentage of applied electric charge is being wasted. Now, scientists at MIT and Harvard Medical School have reported a way to alter the cation concentrations using commercially available cation-selective resin solutions deposited on planar electrodes. In one experiment, they applied small positive DC current (≤1µA, 10 to 100 times below the nerve activation threshold)  to a centrally-located calcium-selective electrode for 1 min to deplete Ca2+ concentration from the fluid surrounding the nerve. Immediately thereafter, they applied the supra-threshold electrical pulses between two lateral uncoated electrodes, while the central electrode was off. The researchers achieved a70% decrease in the amount of current required for reaching the nerve activation threshold. In another experiment, the K+- and Na+-selective electrodes were used to deplete the concentrations of these ions at some distance from the stimulating electrode. Such cation depletion caused a complete conduction block for 10 min after applying a cation-depleting DC current of 1µA for 5 min. Both K+- and Na+-selective electrodes were equally effective in blocking the action potential propagation. This finding could have important applications in shutting off the nociceptive neural activity in relieving chronic pain. Finally, the developed cation-selective electrodes have two important features making them attractive for neuroprosthetic applications: 1) they can be microfabricated and 2) they do not require a chemical reservoir for their operation.

Blood entry sensor for cerebral embolization using RF resonance of micro-coils

About 3 -4% of the general population has or will develop a cerebral aneurysm, with most are without any symptoms. Aneurysm is an enlarged area of a blood vessel that usually develops at a branching point of artery and is caused by constant pressure from blood flow. It often grows gradually and becomes weaker as it stretches. Rupture of a cerebral aneurysm causes bleeding into the brain, often leading to a stroke. Endovascular embolization using micro-coils has emerged as a successful preventive treatment for aneurysms. The micro-coils are made from platinum wire (thickness 20–120 μm) wound at diameters of 200–500 μm for length up to 50 cm. Once the coil is inserted through the artery into the aneurysm, it forms a randomly tangled globe that promotes clotting of blood, thus preventing further inflow of blood and pressure rise. In about half of implanted patients,
the embolization process fails within 18 months, requiring frequent checks for the blood entry into the aneurysm using expensive, invasive, and potentially toxic methods, such as X-ray angiography and computer tomography. The group of Dr. Takahata at the University of British Columbia has reported a new method for monitoring blood entry into aneurysms, which is simple and inexpensive enough for frequent monitoring at home. In their method, the RF resonance of the micro-coils is used as a moisture sensor.  The RF resonant circuit is formed by self-inductance combined with parasitic capacitance, which is affected by tissue permittivity around the coil. At 100 MHz, for example, the dielectric constant of blood is 25 times higher than that of fibrous tissue. The RF coupling of the micro-coils would be done with an external antenna attached to the head of a patient. The present study was conducted using animal muscle tissues, with a clinical device
anticipated in 2-3 years.

Consumer-oriented neural interfaces for non-medical applications


As documented in other posts on this blog, mutliple neural prosthetic devices are currently being developed by startup companies throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. Practically all of these startups are pursuing the well-established R&D strategy of building a device to treat a specific neurological disorder and going through a lengthy process toward eventual FDA approval and reimbursement by private and government-run health insurance companies. In following with this R&D strategy, the resulting device is usually fully implanted and contains only the circuitry needed for its primary function to treat a specific disorder. The device is designed for autonomous operation without user accessibility, and any device’s software tuning/upgrade requires a physician and specialized clinical equipment. These features are aimed at limiting the manufacturer’s and surgeon’s liabilities.
Here, I would like to propose a possibility of developing the consumer-oriented neural interfaces. Such a strategy is inspired by recent developments in the consumer electronics industry and, particularly, by a wide adoption of body-worn health monitoring gadgets (such as a sleep sensor Lark, EEG monitoring device Mynd, and muscle stimulator Compex). The proposed new strategy requires a fundamental shift in the user attitudes toward body-worn neural interfaces. Instead of treating the neural interface as a “band-aid” for restoring the lost or damaged neurological function, the users would treat the neural interface as a sensory or motor extension of their existing own nervous system. The following table illustrates the key attributes that differentiate a conventional neurological treatment device from a consumer-oriented device:
AttributeConventional deviceConsumer-oriented device
UsageRepair of lost/damaged neural functionsEnhanced use and preventing the decay of existing neural functions due to Alzheimer’s
CustomerHospital, doctorEnd user
ReimbursementHealth insurance companyEnd user
Implanted componentsElectrodes, active electronicsElectrodes only (minimally-invasive placement)
Body-worn interface (BWI)Telemetry for battery re-charging and data input/outputUser-controlled multi-purpose graphical computer interface
Placement of BWIInconspicuous or hidden from viewProminent
Operation of BWIPrimarily by a physicianBy the end user
Communication with other devicesNone (standalone use)Standard wireless protocols (Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G)
As can be seen in the table above, the fundamental changes in the R&D strategy relate to every aspect from the device marketing to its configuration, operation, and user control. The reduced complexity and size of the implanted device are crucial for allowing a minimally invasive implantation that can be performed by a neurologist (rather than a neurosurgeon) in an outpatient clinic. Fabrication of a simple implantable device combined with a simple surgery can dramatically reduce the overall user cost (perhaps to a sub-$10,000 level) and therefore make the devices applicable for non-medical applications, such as memory improvement, cognitive training, and around-the-clock personal assistance.
Continuing the parallel with the consumer electronics, let’s think for a moment about our computer use just 10 years ago. The computers back then could serve specific functions, such as data entry, word processing, accounting, etc. Our everyday lives, however, have been rather “un-tethered”, as we lived our lives oblivious to a possibility of having constant access to our email inbox or a Facebook status. There is no denying, that we are evolving into a new social species, the “homo twitterus”, with the reported ~60% of smartphone users waking up voluntarily during the night to check their messages. Let’s compare that with our evolving attitude toward the neural interfaces.  In the classic SciFi movies Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and The Matrix (1999), a images of the brain and spinal interfaces were positively repulsive. A decade later, in the movie Tron: Legacy (2010), the Identity Discs worn by the Grid inhabitants, prominently featured on their back, appear rather attractive and stylish. The public interest in the consumer-oriented neural interfaces may start initially among the techno-gadget aficionados and gradually spread to general population. Similar evolution has occured with the computer use and has now reached the stage where pure functionality and low cost of the device are no longer as important as its esthetic, social-status, and “coolness” appeal (think of Apple’s Macbook Air, iPad, and iPhone). While many Android phones are arguably more feature-rich and less expensive than iPhone 4S, Apple Inc. is enjoying robust growth by strengthening its deep personal relationship with customers and by changing their lifestyle in a profound way. The proposed consumer uses of neural interfaces can bring such device-user relationship to a whole new level, with the person’s everyday life being dependent on bidirectional exchange with their body-worn personal assistant. A rich virtual environment provided by the neural interface can be used, for example, by retired baby-boomers for muscle exercise and rehabilitation; memory improvement and cognitive fitness; and learning of visual and motor skills (e.g. golf, tennis, driving). Many other applications, perhaps even more pervasive and lifestyle-changing (such as novel sensory/motor modalities), could emerge as the neural interface technology takes hold in the society.

DBS for Alzheimer’s disease

As the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is rising with aging population, there is an increasing urgency in developing an effective approach to slow its progression. Despite the efforts by pharmaceutical companies, currently approved drugs provide only modest effects and are often difficult to target to the brain without avoiding the systemic side effects. A possibility of using electrical stimulation for combating the disease has not been considered until a serendipitous discoveryreported in 2008 by Dr. Andres Lozano, a neurosurgeon at the University of Toronto. He applied the DBS stimulation at the satiety-controlling region of the brain, the fornix, in a patient with morbid obesity with a hope of reducing the sensation of hunger. Surprisingly, the psychological tests have shown a significant improvement in patient’s memory. The follow-up study in AD patients, published in 2010, showed that the fornix stimulation can slow the memory decay. The authors of the study speculate that possible mechanism of action involves plasticity in the limbic circuitry counteracting the AD-related neurodegeneration. As a result of these findings, a startup company called Functional Neuromodulation Inc. was formed in 2010 to commercialize the DBS use in the fornix for AD patients. It recently obtained funding from Genesys Capital and Medtronic to conduct the second clinical trial in the AD patients. It is worth mentioning that other companies, such as Medtronic and St. Jude Medical, have considerable intellectual property on electrical stimulation of other limbic areas, such as the anterior thalamic nucleus, internal capsule, and subgenual cingulate cortex, which may also play an important role the memory formation process. We will anxiously await further developments in the use of DBS to counteract the progression of AD.

Active tactile exploration using a brain-machine-brain interface

The quest for highly functional neuroprosthetics in activities of daily living has implicitly assumed that the neural interface would include bothmotor and sensory (i.e. tactile and proprioceptive) functionalities. It is likely that for reaching and grasping tasks, the dynamic sensorimotor programs will need to be developed to enable dexterous control. Interestingly,  the neural decoding, stimulation, and hardware principles for sensorimotor interfaces are often developed in isolation in motor-only or sensory-only studies. In this week’s issue of the journal Nature, a new study was published by Prof. Nicolelis group from Duke University attempting to create a bi-directional sensorimotor neural interface for reaching tasks. Primates used both direct brain motor control and artificial tactile sensory feedback delivered back to the brain to complete the task. Both the motor and sensory channels bypassed the subject’s body, effectively liberating a brain from the physical constraints of slow nerve implse propagation  through the nervous system. Potential use of such bidirectional control is not limited to artificial limbs and can include fast communication with a variety of external sensors and actuators.

Kip Ludwig to Keynote 2011 Neurotech Leaders Forum in San Francisco 

Kip Ludwig, who was recently appointed as program director in repair and plasticity at the NIH National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, will deliver the keynote address at the 11th annual Neurotech Leaders Forum, which will take place in San Francisco on October 17-18, 2011. Ludwig will offer attendees his views on his new role with the NIH and how it impacts the neurotechnology industry.
Ludwig received his Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the University of Michigan, followed by post-doctoral work at the same institution. More recently, Ludwig worked in industry at CVRx as a research scientist, where he and his team conceived, developed and demonstrated the chronic efficacy of a next-generation neural stimulation electrode for reducing blood pressure in both pre-clinical and clinical trials.
The 2011 event will also feature an in-depth session on reimbursement issues affecting neurotechnology manufacturers in light of new health care reform legislation.
Venture capital professionals Heath Lukatch of Novo Ventures, Paul Grand of RCT BioVentures, Mikhail Shapiro, formerly of Third Rock Ventures, and Jonas Hansson of HealthCap in Sweden will participate. Other speakers include Don Deyo, vice president of R&D at Medtronic Neuromodulation, medical device reimbursement expert Tom Hughes, and Victor Pikov of Huntington Medical Research Institutes.
The 2011 event will feature a first-ever Consumer Neurotech Conference on October 18, the second day of the event. The full-day meeting will include sessions on neuromarketing, gaming, training, and cognitive enhancement applications of neurotechnology. Companies represented on the agenda include EmSense Corp., NeuroSky, Inc., and Technology Partners. Victor Pikov will also speak on neural interface lifestyle issues.
For more information on the 2011 Neurotech Leaders Forum, including sponsorship opportunities, call 415 546 1259.

Protonic transistor for more natural neuronal stimulation

As described in the September issue of Nature Communications, Prof. Rolandi ‘s team at the University of Washington, Seattle has created the first solid-state transistor that controls the flow of protons instead of electrons. This is much more practical for transmission of information in biological tissues than electrons, as protons can freely interact with ions.  The key challenges in developing proton-based electronics are to find the right materials for pumping and conducting the protons. In the developed prototype transistor, the pumping action is mediated by palladium, which can absorb hydrogen and create a hydride that easily accepts and donates protons. The protons then flow through a 3.5-micrometer-wide channel made from nanofibers of chitosan, a polysaccharide extracted from the chitin shells of crustaceans (such as crabs and shrimp). The prototype is built on the silicon substrate, but the final device would probably use a more biocompatible material. The protonic transistor behaves like a traditional field-effect transistor, with the current flowing between the source and drain under the control of the gate. The ability to modulate the current flow in this protonic transistor is rather limited (by a factor of 10) compared to high gain ratios in conventional electronic transistors (x10,000). Unlike these conventional transistors, the protonic one does not have a p-n junction to block the current when the device is off. So, the protonic transistor functions more like a variable resistor than a switch. Despite its limitations, it is a big step toward more natural neuronal stimulation, as the device is easy to fabricate and is more stable than previous attempts, using microfluidics and thin films.

Occipital nerve stimulation for migraine

Migraine is a highly prevalent neurological disorder, affecting more than 10% of people (6% of men and 18% of women) worldwide. It is not surprising, therefore, that all three of the major neurotech device manufacturers, Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, and Boston Scientific, have evaluated their implantable stimulators for treatment of his chronic condition. Multiple areas have been targeted for treating migraine; with most common ones being the occipital nerves and the cerebral cortex. The latter approach is usually accomplished non-invasively with the transcranial magnetic stimulation and is most helpful for patients whose migraines begin with an aura, a condition characterized by flashing lights or other visual (or sometimes sensory, motor or verbal) disturbance. The occipital nerve stimulation is more generally applicable to migraine sufferers, and involves a chronic implantation of the stimulating device. The clinical trials have been performed to see whether any of the devices could clear at least one of two FDA-mandated thresholds: a 50% reduction in migraine severity or a 50% reduction in migraine frequency. Boston Scientific’s pivotal trial PRISM was completed in 2009, showing no significant improvements. Medronic’s pivotal trial ONSTIM was completed in 2010, indicating that 39% of patients achieved 50% reduction in migraine frequency. St. Jude Medical’s pivotal trial ended in June 2011 and was, perhaps, the most successful of the three: they reported an overall 28% reduction in migraine frequency and 42% reduction in migraine severity. Although these results are insufficient for the FDA clearance, the St. Jude Medical’s Genesis device was able to receive the European CE mark approval  in September 2011. This gives the first-mover advantage to St. Jude Medical in Europe, but the battle for the lucrative US migraine market is still waging on.

Leveraging neurotechnological capability on the world stage: shifting equations of power, and the importance of cosmopolitan neuroethics

As Victor Pikov astutely noted in an earlier blog post, there are robust efforts to increase neurotechnology research, development (R&D), and production in China.  This is not incidental; neurotechnology renders considerable capability and potential to improve quality of life – both directly and indirectly. In the former sense by enhancing medical care and human performance, and in this regard one need only think of the ability to assess, discern and better diagnose neurological disorders by using neurogenetics, neuroproteomics, and various forms of neuroimaging, and the therapeutics made possible through selective neurotropic drugs, peripheral and central neural stimulating devices, transcranial magnetic and deep brain stimulation, and neuroprosthetics.   In the latter sense the benefits of neurotechnolgy are financial, achieved by neurotech companies and the national economies that profit from their revenues.


Therefore, it becomes important to consider how neurotechnology could be used to leverage economic – and socio-political – influence on the world stage. The old adage that “the one who controls the chips controls the game” is metaphorically appropriate in that efficient production of neurotechnologies can foster a presence in worldwide biotech markets, and the use of neurotechnologic devices in China (for example, conducting neuroscientific and neurotechnological research in Chinese medical institutes) can be attractive to global investment partners, due to the frequently reduced costs and time required to execute such studies. And given that much of the microcomputational circuitry used in neuroS&T (neuroscience and technology), irrespective of where it is made, is being increasingly produced in China, the adage may have literal validity, as well.

This steadily growing prominence of non-Western nations in the field of neuroS&T gives rise to a number of important considerations and concerns.  First, is that we are witnessing a shift in global economics, influence, and capabilities, and neurotechnology is a factor in the current and future re-balancing of this power equation. It’s no longer simply a case of “…the West and the rest”, but rather that non-Western countries such as China are becoming a scientific, technological and economic force to be reckoned with.

Second, the needs, desires, ideals and practices of Western societies may not be relevant or applicable to the ways that enterprises such as neuroS/T research, development, testing, evaluation (RDTE) and use are viewed and conducted in non-Western nations. This generates “who’s right?” scenarios that involve issues of what  and how the values and practices of a particular group of people can and should be regarded and responded to – a point raised by philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre and recently addressed by Alan Petersen of Monash University in Australia. For example, should a stance of “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” be adopted, and if so, does this mean the employment of certain guidelines and regulations in the country that is involved in neurotech research and product development, and different guidelines and regulations for each and every country that utilizes such neuroS&T? Or could some uniform codes of research and use be viable in any and all situations – and if so, how might these codes be developed and articulated?

Third, technological and economic capabilities engender “cred and clout” at international bargaining tables, and so the social and professional values of those countries that are gaining and sustaining momentum in neurotechnological research and production will become ever more prominent, important, and therefore necessary to acknowledge.

Working in our group, Misti Andersen and Nick Fitz are studying these issues, and together with Daniel Howlader, are addressing how various philosophies and ethics inform national neurotechnology policies (in the USA, EU, and Asian nations, including China).  Collaborating with social theorist Roland Benedikter of Stanford University, we are examining how the shifting architectonics of biotechnological capability are affecting the philosophical and ethical Zeitgeist that characterizes the “new global shift” and its manifest effects in healthcare, public life and national security on the world stage.

These issues span from the scientific to the social, in that neuroscience can be employed to explore, define, and manipulate human nature, conduct, and norms, and neurotechnology provides the tool kit for neuroscientific research and its uses (or misuses).  Moreover, not every country that is dedicating efforts to neuroS&T maintains the same ethical standards for research and/or use that have become de rigueur  in the west.  How shall we engage those countries that do not strictly adhere to the Nuremburg Code, or Declarations of Geneva and Helsinki, yet generate products and devices capable of affecting the human predicament or condition (e.g.- by providing state-of-the-art treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders or performance enhancement), and in this way incur significant economic power in global markets? Should we adopt some form of moral interventionalism that would seek to enforce particular Western ethical standards upon the conduct of non-Western neurotechnological R&D, or do we posture toward more of an isolationist stance? And in the event, how would we then maneuver our neurotechnological  R&D to retain a viable presence on the global technological and economic map?

In this blog and elsewhere, I’ve claimed that it is exactly this scientific-to-social span of neurotechnological effect that necessitates programs dedicated to the ethical, legal and social issues inherent to neuroS/T.  But, as I mentioned in my earlier blog post, if neuroethics is to be globally relevant, then it must be sensitive to pluralist values, and cannot be either an implicit form of neuroscientific and technological imperialism, or succumb to ethical laissez faire.

A complete discussion of my take on the fundamental premises and precepts of the discipline and practice(s) of neuroethics is beyond the scope of this blog. But, one of the key points I believe is important to emphasize is that neuroethics must be grounded to a bio-psychosocial framework that recognizes the interaction and reciprocity of biology and the socio-cultural environment.

Culture is both a medium in which bio-psychosocial (e.g.- genetic, phenotypic, and environmental) variables are generated, and a forum that defines how such variables may be expressed. So, while our species certainly has a host of common biological features, we also differ – and these differences occur as a consequence of cultural factors,  and in contribution to socio-culturally patterns of cognitive and behavioral variability.

The “take home” message here is that our biological, psychological and social aspects manifest both commonalties and differences, and any meaningful ethics would need to take these factors into accord.  Philosopher Bernard Gert’s concept of “common morality” may be viable to some extent, but ethical values and systems also manifest distinctions in standpoint, and therefore ethics would need to at least acknowledge, if not frankly recognize these distinctions in perspective in a discursive way. This brings us back to MacIntyre’s question of “which rationality” should be used in approaching ethical issues and resolving ethical questions.

Perhaps it’s not so much a question of “either one form of rationality or another”, but rather more a position of “both/and” in these situations. If neuroethics is to authentically represent a naturalistic orientation to human cognition, emotion and behaviors, then I think that it’s vital to appreciate the ways that bio-psychosocial (viz.- cultural) differences are manifest, and in this appreciation, adopt an ethical approach that is more dialectical.  Thus, I’ve called for a cosmopolitan neuroethics that seeks to bring differing viewpoints to the discourse, and is not necessarily wedded to a particular theory or system, but instead is open to all, relative to the circumstances, benefits, burdens and harms that are in play and at stake.

Now, you might be thinking, “Isn’t cosmopolitan ethics a particular theory or system?” and to some extent you’d be right; but before we write off the term and concept as self-contradictory (i.e. an antinomy, something that cannot be “a” and at the same time claim “b”), let’s regard it more as a “way” of doing ethics that seeks complementarity in perspective, orientation and approach, so as to enable a richer, more complete discourse from which to foster synthetic solutions. This would allow us to move away from a “West and the rest” position, to more of a naturalist view of the human and human condition, that would be open to differing views and values, and would seek to define core concepts that could be employed in specific ethical situations and deliberations.

Neurotechnology can and likely will affect biological, socio-cultural, economic and political realities in numerous ways, and if we are to develop well-informed, ethically sound guidelines and policies that are best-suited to the complexity of these circumstances, then the need for an inclusive, cosmopolitan neuroethics becomes apparent. The really hard part is making it work.

China emerges as a global maker of neurotech devices

One does not need the future-telling skills of Ray Kurzweil to predict the rise and eventual dominance of China in manufacturing of neurotech devices. Outsourcing of medical device manufacturing to China has been on the rise in the last few years as evidenced, for example, by a reduced US export-import surplus for medical devices from $6 billion in 2005 to $3 billion in 2010 (according to US officials), of which $1.2 billion is the trade surplus with China. The market for medical devices in China is at $14 billion and is projected to double by 2014. The rise in China’s medical device market is fueled by an ongoing government-funded healthcare reform ($123 billion over the next four years), which aims, among other things, to make medical devices affordable by subsidizing their domestic manufacturing. The importance of such governmental  subsidies can be illustrated by the stunning revelation that in 2008 the number of cardioverter-defibrillator implants in China was fewer than 700 compared with 100,000+ implants annually in the United States.
Unlike the biomedical device industry as a whole, the implantable neural device industry has so far been resilient to migration to the land of rising dragon from its birthplaces in the US, Europe, and Australia. There are multiple reasons for that, which perhaps could be better explained by an economist. In my view, there had been two key obstacles: 1) assuring the regulatory conformance of the China-assembled medical device in the western countries; and 2) poor protection of intellectual property rights in China, making western device makers uneasy about sharing their fabrication secrets with Chinese subsidiaries. Both of these obstacles seem to be melting away. The regulatory conformance is rapidly improving as more reciprocal agreements are being ironed out between the US FDA and its Chinese counterpart, while inadequate IP rights protection no longer stops the leading electronics companies, such as Apple and Sony, from manufacturing their cutting-edge devices (e.g. iPhone, iPad, and PlayStation) in the Foxconn’s Chinese factories.  
With gradual dissolution of the economic barriers, we are now faced with a barrier of a different kind: an acceptance of the level-playing field in the emerging global medical device market. When Terry Gou, the CEO of Foxconn (the largest exporter and largest private employer in China), first approached Steve Jobs, the Apple’s CEO, he had to force Mr. Jobs to give him his business card. Now, a decade later, the relationship between the two companies has evolved from a contract manufacturing to a strong and dedicated partnership, with Foxconn being a main producer of iPhone and iPads. One can hope that a similar transformation is taking place in the mindsets of leading implantable neural device makers. China has recently begun fabrication of its own cochlear implants and DBS devices. The production rate of these domestically-made devices is not high enough to compete with large multinational companies, which still control 90+ percent of the Chinese market.
In anticipation of a looming challenge, the multinationals are expanding their operations in China. For example, Medtronic reported the opening a patient care center in Beijing in 2010 and its new regional headquarters in Shanghai earlier this year, with plans to double its workforce in China to 2,000 employees by 2015 (while reducing the same amount of workforce in other countries). Similarly, Boston Scientific announced a five-year, $150 million investment in China, including the construction of new manufacturing and research facilities and addition of 1,000 workers to the current 200. Following in the footsteps of its competitors, St. Jude Medical announced the opening of an R&D center in Beijing along with a manufacturing facility and training center in Malaysia. It makes sense for the neurotech device industry to embrace the Chinese emerging economy to utilize its consumers, labor, and innovation. According to this report from the Economist, Chinese R&D centers have already developed some innovative medical devices with a price tag one tenth of comparable products in the West. There’s no doubt that we’ll be seeing even more innovation from and investment in China’s neurotech industry. And with more than 1 billion of human capital at hand, it is easy to imagine the potential.

Convergence in neuroscience and technology: Fine tuning a big(ger) vision, and the need for neuroethics

In a recent piece in the journal Science and in a longer paper posted on the MIT website, Phillip A. Sharp and Robert Langer have spoken to the need for, and trend toward convergence in biomedical science. As these prominent researchers note, convergence “emerges” as the foci and activities of several disciplines fuse so that the sum of their research and outcomes is greater than its constituent parts. Such convergence is occurring among the disciplines that create, employ, and constitute the “field” of neurotechnology – and so we witness a merging of physics, chemistry, nanoscience, cyberscience and engineering, and the engagement of genetics, anatomy, pharmacology, physiology and cognitive psychology, in ways that biologist E.O Wilson might describe as “consilient.”

To be sure, this fosters and necessitates the “multilingual” “convergence creole” capabilities of terminology, discourse and knowledge and resource inter-digitations that Sharp and Langer describe. I agree – a common language and working construct of convergence is vital if we realistically operationalize de-siloing of the disciplines that could develop and employ neurotechnological to maximize opportunities to define and solve novel problems in basic and translational biomedicine, and more broadly in the public sphere. That’s because this process is not merely a technical sharing, but instead represents a synthetic mind-set that explicitly seeks to foster innovative use of knowledge-, skill-, and tool-sets toward (1) elucidating the nature and potential mechanisms of scientific questions and problems, (2) de-limiting existing approaches to question/problem resolution; and (3) developing novel means of addressing and solving such issues.

I posit that in this way, convergence enables concomitant “tools-to-theory” and “theory-to-tools” heuristics, and the translation of both heuristics and tools to practice. This is important because the current utility of many neurotechnologies is constrained by factors including (1) a lack of specificity of action and effect (e.g. transcranial and/or direct magnetic stimulation), (2) size restrictions and cumbersome configurations of micro- and macroscale devices, and (3) difficulties of matching certain types of neurologic data (e.g. from neuroimaging, neurogenetic studies) to databases that are large enough to enable statistically relevant, and meaningful comparative and/or normative inferences. So the fusion of neuro-nano-geno-cyber science and technologies can be seen as an enabling paradigm for de-limiting current uses and utility, and fostering new directions and opportunities for use and applicability.

Once silos are dissolved, limitations can be diminished or removed, but so too may be the ability to recognize relative limits upon the pace and extent of scientific discovery, and the use of its knowledge and products. As I’ve previously mentioned in this blog and elsewhere, the result may be that we then encounter effects, burdens, and harms that were as yet unknown, and/or unforeseen. There is real risk that the pace, breadth and depth of neuroscientific and technological capability may outstrip that of the ethical deliberations that could most genuinely evaluate its social impact, and in response, appropriately direct such innovation and steer its use.

What is needed is a systematic method of and forum for inquiry about what the convergence approach in neuroS&T (neuroscience and technology) will and might yield, and how its outcomes and products may change the values and conduct of science and society. Appropriate questions for such inquiry would include: (1) how convergence approaches can be employed in neuroscience; (2) what practical and ethical issues, concerns, and problems might arise as a consequence, and (3) what systems of risk analysis and mitigation might be required to meet these challenges, and guide the employment of neuroS&T. Given the power of convergent science to affect the speed and scope of neuroscientific discovery and neurotechnological innovation, I argue that such an approach to the ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) is needed now, and not after-the-fact.

But any meaningful approach to the ELSI of convergent neuroS&T would require an equally advanced, integrative system of ethics that can effectively analyze and balance positive and negative trajectories of progress, increase viable benefits, and militate against harm(s). Obviously, this would necessitate evaluation of both the ethical issues germane to the constituent convergent disciplines, and those generated by the convergence model of neuroS&T itself.  I believe that neuroethics can serve this role and meet this demand (although opinions on this certainly differ; see for example: “against neuroethics“) As a discipline, neuroethics can be seen as having two major “traditions” – the first being the study of neurological mechanisms involved in moral cognition and actions (what might be better termed, “neuro-morality”), and the second that examines, addresses and seeks to guide ethical issues fostered by neuroS&T research and use (see: “Neuroethics for the New Millennium“).

I’ve posed that these two “traditions” are not mutually exclusive, and that if and when taken together, may afford a meta-ethics that both informs how and why we develop and act morally, and uses this information to intuit ways to employ existing systems of ethics, and/or cultivate new ethical approaches to better reflect and decide upon the moral implications and ramifications of various uses and misuses of neuroS&T in the social sphere. Philosopher Neil Levy has claimed that neuroethics might be a new way of doing ethics, and this might be so. At very least, I think that neuroethics will allow a more explicit and purposive focus upon how change, uncertainty and progress in neuroS&T are affected by – and affect – progress, not only in genetics, nanoscience and cyberscience as stand-alone entities or simple concatenations of scientific methods, tools and techniques, but as a true convergence that conflates ideas, process and technologies, and in the event, change the human predicament, human condition, and the human being.

There are a number of excellent discussions about what neuroethics is and is not, and can and cannot do (see for example, Eric Racine’s fine book Pragmatic Neuroethics). My take on this is that in order to have any real value, neuroethics (as a discipline and practice) must (1) apprehend the changing realities of neuroS&T capability and effect(s); (2) identify which extant moral theories and systems may and/or may not be viable in ethical analyses and guidance; and (3) develop ethical tools that compensate for weaknesses in current ethical theories in order to more effectively weigh benefits and risks, and remain prepared for possible “less than best case” scenarios.

A simple precautionary principle won’t work, for the simple reason being that neuroS&T pushes the boundaries at the frontier of the known and unknown, and (1) conditions “at the edge” are always risky; (2) while apparent benefits may compel each new step forward, burdens, risks and harms can be less than obvious because they often are consequential to our beneficent intentions (for those of you who are Sci-Fi fans, there are host of writings and movies that play to this, think for example of the films Mimic, Surrogates, and Limitless, just to name a few), and (3) the longer S/T remains in the public sphere, the greater the likelihood for it being influenced by economic, and/or socio-political agendas.

In other words, stuff happens, and we need to be aware that it can, likely will, and be prepared if and when it does. Not by trying to grind neuroS&T to a halt or by imposing unrealistic proscriptions, but by supporting a convergent approach to both neuroS&T and the ethical systems that guide its use in an ever-more pluralist society, and changing world stage.

Neuro-technological integration and cyborgization: a reflection on evolution and development of the technological self

In the previous blog post, Victor Pikov raised provocative points  that speak to the iterative integration of neurotechnology (if not technology in general) into the fabric of human life and being. In this light, I think that we need to view Manfred Clynes and Nathan Kline’s conceptualization of the “cyborg” as a multi-step process, with renewed interest and vigor.  As humans, we use tools to gain knowledge and exercise the power of such know-how over our environment and condition.  Technology provides both investigative and articulative tools that allow us to both know and doat increasing levels of sophistication, complexity and capability.  Indeed, our current and future state might be seen as Homo sapiens technologicus (one aspect of which is Pikov’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek “twittericus”).


I agree with these perspectives, and offer that we are seeing the human-in-transition, a form of “trans-humanism” that is defined by and reliant upon technology and a technologically enabled worldview in the evolution and development of our species. This is evidenced by our technologically-enabled, rapid access to unprecedented amounts of information, increasing integration of technology into human embodiment, technologically-mediated engagement with each other, and capabilities for manipulation and control of our external and internal environments. As Victor Pikov notes, in this way, we are poised before a horizon of possibility, and potential problems.

Yet, any progression into and through a new era will incur individual and social attitudinal changes in relation to the capabilities and effects offered by new science and/or technology, and the effect(s) and our relationship to (and through)  neural interfacing would be no different.  It is interesting to speculate on how the cyborgization of homo technologicus will occur, and I wonder how we as individuals, communities and a species will direct and handle such change.   A “one-size-fits-all” approach to the employment of any neurotechnology – be it diagnostic or interventional – is at very least pragmatically inefficient, and at worse, inapt on both technical and ethical grounds. And while we might skirt some (but not all) of these technical issues when dealing with certain forms of neuroimaging (like fMRI/DTI), the possibility for runaway, a.k.a. Wexelblatt, effects (i.e. unanticipated consequences of nature) incurred by interventional neurotechnologies looms large, and ethico-legal and social issues become all the more prominent with increasing use of any neurotechnology in the public sphere. I believe that the issue boils down to an intersection of two major unknowns –first is the persistent uncertainties of the so-called “hard questions” of neuroscience (namely, how consciousness/mind originates in/from brain), and the second is how any neurotechnology can and does affect the nervous system. These uncertainties are not mutually exclusive – the tools-to-theory heuristics of neuroscience are sustained by the use of neurotechnology to forge ever-deepening understanding about the structure and function of the brain, and theory-to-tool heuristics enable the development of successively more complicated and capable neurotechnologies to assess, access and control neural functions. Yet, navigating the possibilities of what and how technologies can be used, versus what technologies should be used, in whom, and in which ways requires stringency in the guidelines and policies that direct neurotechnological research and its application(s).

As Don DuRousseau and I have recently noted, this may be increasingly important given a pervasive “market mindset” that has fostered more widespread use of neurotechnologies, and a tendency to side-step evidence-based, pragmatically grounded approaches and instead rely upon lore rather than the most currently validated science. Clearly, further research, development, testing and evaluation (RDTE) of various neurotechnologies is required to more fully define 1) what constitutes evidence-based versus non-evidenced based claims; and 2) the capabilities, limitations – and potential risks – of employing various neurotechnologies in both clinical and non-clinical settings.

We have called for uniform and enforced screening mechanism for all neurotechnology product developers to ascertain whether their products may incur potential risks to the general public, and regulation of the industry, as well as the clinical and public use of these technologies and devices (see: Giordano J, DuRousseau D. Use of brain-machine interfacing neurotechnologies: Ethical issues and implications for guidelines and policy. Cog Technol 2011; 15(2): 5-10).

But it’s important to note that the field – and use- of neurotechnology is evolving and with this evolution comes the development of new techniques, knowledge and capabilities. So, perhaps what is required is an “evo-devo” orientation to not only the ways that neurotechnology can affect the human condition, but also to the ongoing development and use of the technology itself. As more data become available, pre- and proscriptions regarding the use(s) of particular neurotechnologies should be re-examined, re-assessed, and altered as necessary, and as consistent with the spirit and dictates of science to remain self-reflective, self- critical and self-revising. To do otherwise would be anachronistic, if not downright de-evolutionary.

Spinal cord stimulation business: observations from London’s INS meeting

The 2011 meeting of the International Neuromodulation Society, which took place in London, England in May 2011, featured a large number of oral and poster presentations offering updated technical and clinical information on neuromodulation topics. There was also a full day of sessions devoted to commercialization, investment, and industry issues affecting neuromodulation startup firms.
But as is the case with many meetings that draw attendance from different fields of endeavor, there was as much to learn from the informal scuttlebutt going on between sessions as there was from the posters and oral presentations themselves. We offer here some of our observations based on random comments from attendees.
After the Sunday session on future innovations in neuromodulation, some attendees were perplexed by Greatbatch Inc.’s efforts to launch a new spinal cord stimulation device company, called Algostim LLC. Given that Greatbatch supplies components such as batteries and leads to many manufacturers of implanted neurostimulation systems, it raised the question as to why Greatbatch would want to compete with its customers. Greatbatch CEO Tom Hook made the case that by incubating new device startups that will eventually be spun off, Greatbatch will cultivate a greater customer base in the future. It will be interesting to see how that situation plays out.
That controversy might have presented an opportunity for component supplier Cirtec Medical to drum up business, had they have more of a presence at the event. But that company has been hit by the departure of some key staff members, including its former president Barry Smith.
There was also some discussion on the competitive positioning of new entrants in the spinal cord stimulation business such as Nevro, Spinal Modulation, and Neuros Medical. Several attendees thought that Neuros has a sound technology base, though probably the smallest market opportunity of the three. There was speculation that Nevro and Spinal Modulation might be ripe targets for acquisition by existing players in the SCS market. It will be interesting to see if either firm makes it to the market approval stage, let alone profitability, before being snapped up by one of the big three.
Speaking of spinal cord stimulation, perhaps the most profound observation we heard at the conference was by Robert Levy of Northwestern University, who noted that the SCS systems that existed five to 10 years ago, which serve as the basis for many long-term pain studies, represent the worst case scenario. Today’s SCS systems, with their greater specificity, targeting capabilities, and control over stimulation parameters, offer a far better outcome for patients and vendors alike.
James Cavuoto
Editor and Publisher
Neurotech Reports
www.neurotechreports.com

Neuroethics and neurotechnology: confronting just distribution

The University of Michigan is developing a minimally-invasive low-power brain implant, termed “BioBolt”, that transmits neural signals to a computer control station, and may someday be used to reactivate paralyzed limbs.

While the BioBolt carries enormous potential, the issues of intellectual property and market partnership raise a number of neuroethical questions. In our current era of fast-emerging innovative neurotechnology, we must critically confront the practical questions of how such technologies will be provided to those who need them. In our modern society, commutative justice theories establish the disproportionate provision of goods based upon relative (and unequal) need. Their fundamental assumption is that all patients who need such interventions would be provided access and means to acquire them. Implicit to this assumption are notions of neoclassical economics based upon Adam Smith’s construct of rational actors and unlimited resources (Smith, 1776). However, even a cursory analysis of the contemporary atmosphere of healthcare provision reveals such Smithian assumptions to be vastly unrealistic. In fact, resources are limited, and their provision is based upon a multidimensional calculus that determines the relative distribution of medical goods and services. Put simply, not everybody gets what they need, and this is particularly the case for high-tech medical interventions that are often only partially covered, and in some cases, not covered at all by the majority of health insurance plans. Moreover, some 57 million Americans are currently without health insurance (Wolf, 2010).

Now more than ever, we face the pragmatic charge of access: who will receive state-of-the-art neurotechnological interventions, such as the BioBolt? Will these approaches become part of a new ‘boutique neurology,’ or will there be active assertion and effort(s) to increase the utility and use of these interventions, so as to make them more affordable and more widely accessible within the general population of those patients who might require them? Will some newly developed medical criteria accommodate these decisions and actions, or, as is more likely, will the tipping points be governed by healthcare insurance provisions? How can and/or should healthcare reform(s) be adjusted and adjudicated in order to accommodate rapidly advancing science and the potential benefit(s) it might confer? While certain provisions of the new federal healthcare plan might support such directions, real availability and access will only be sustainable through a real shift toward a more demand-side health economics, which would constitute something of a sea change in our overall economic infrastructure. But rarely does such change occur all at once. Instead, it may be more viable to dedicate efforts to developing realistic designs for more equitable allocation of neurotechnologies. Such efforts, if appropriately subsidized and sustained, could be important droplets towards the sea change that may be necessary.

For further reference, see:

Hippocampus implant enhances memory formation in rats

In the DARPA-led project REMIND, Prof. Ted Berger from the University of Southern California and Prof. Samuel Deadwyler from Wake Forest University have been developing an innovative type of neural prosthetic device for restoring and enhancing the formation of long-term memories. Their strategy is to build a computational model of the information processing in the hippocampus and use it as a substitute for normal memory encoding in people with brain trauma, dementia, stroke, and other disorders affecting learning. In their new work, the scientists have described achieving an important milestone –  improving the memory formation in laboratory rats. In the performed behavioral tests, the rats were trained to remember the lever location and, after being distracted, had to recollect which lever to push. Two 16-electrode devices were implanted bilaterally for recording communication between the CA3 and CA1 sub-regions of the hippocampus. After the CA1 neuronal activity was recorded during successful recollection of the lever location, it was played back during the next recollection trial by stimulating the neurons at the CA1. And the rats displayed an amazing 20% improvement in their memory recollection (see the figure). Then, the scientists did something even more remarkable. They temporarily blocked the intrinsic CA1 activity (using a glutamate receptor antagonist), fully substituting it by the electrical stimulation. And the animals were able to remember the lever location equally well or even better than with their natural CA1 processing! These findings generate a lot of excitement, but the scientists are still facing a long road ahead to develop a fully functional replacement for hippocampus. One major challenge would be to build a scaled-up device for recording the activity of thousands of neurons in the hippocampus.  Another hurdle, perhaps even more significant, would be to create a memory encoder that can go beyond replaying the previously-remembered tasks and to create brand new memories. After all, learning something new is a lot more exciting than, say, reciting the Pythagorean theorem for the N-th time.



Neural probe with integrated microfluidics and pumps for intracranial drug delivery

Chemical stimulation using channels in a so-called “puffer” neural probe has been a challenging endeavor, originated by Prof. Kendal Wise’s laboratory in U. Michigan back in 1997. The early probes were fabricated using the reactive ion etching (RIE) technology, and despite their initial promise, so far have not been successfully used in chronic animal studies.  Multiple issues, ranging from the outlet biofouling to the hydraulic resistance inside a microfluidic channel, have been identified. A commercial probe combining the drug delivery and electrical recording/stimulation was recently developed by the NeuroNexus Technologies (D/DM-series); it consists of the silicone probe glued to the fused silica fluidic channel. Opting for an integrated probe solution, engineers at the Institute of Micromachining and Information Technology and the Institute of Microsystem Technology at the University of Freiburg etched the channels with heights of 50 µm and more inside the wafer using the deep RIE (DRIE) technology. Their effort is a part of the NeuroProbes project, funded by a European Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), which includes 13 other partners from Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Italy, France, Hungary, Spain, and Netherlands. The probes, fabricated by German engineers, remained unclogged in an acute in vivo test, while the chronic implant studies are still ongoing. The fluid pumping action inside the microfluidic channels was achieved by a MEMS device built into the probe. The MEMS device functions by constricting fluid-filled micro-chambers (volume = 0.25 μL each) using a thermally expandable material coupled to heating microelements. The microchambers are connected in series and can be constricted individually with a 3-second temporal precision. Having the chemical stimulation and electrical recording on the same probe, may soon allow a detailed examination the chemical signaling inside the brain in vivo with a high spatiotemporal precision.

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea: revival of the old technology

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition in which breathing is periodically obstructed during sleep, often due to a prolapsed tongue or swollen throat. OSA affects 3-5% of people (18 millions in the US alone) and is often associated with obesity and old age. The hypoglossal nerve (HGN) controls the tongue and soft palate muscles. The closed-loop HGN stimulation, synchronized with the inspiratory phase of respiration, was shown (by Johns Hopkins U. researchers in mid-90es) to reduce the severity of OSA. In 1996-1997, Medtronic Inc. tested the first implantable HGN stimulator, Inspire I, in humans but soon abandoned the device due to concerns about its safety. Fast-forward to 2010: we have an expired patent on the HGN stimulation and several companies vying for dominance in this lucrative market. Charging ahead of the competition is a Medtronic’s spinout Inspire Medical Systems, with its device, Inspire II, that just received the CE Mark for clinical use in Europe. Not far behind are the Apnex Medicaland ImThera Medical, who are undergoing clinical trials for their versions of the HGN stimulation devices. It is worth mentioning that other neurostimulation technologies are being applied for sleep apnea. Cardiac Concepts Inc. is developing a device for the phrenic nerve stimulation to restore a more natural breathing pattern in patients with the central sleep apnea, a related medical condition. Inspiration Medical Inc. holds several patents for the diaphragm pacing as yet another method for OSA treatment. Finally, there are some less-invasive approaches including tongue stimulation with sublingual electrodes and the repelling magnetic implants in the tongue base and posterolateral pharynx. Perhaps, it is too early to predict which of the technologies will ultimately prevail, so let’s not lose our sleep over this for now.

“Active Book” – an implant with active electronics for recording from and stimulation of lumbar spinal roots

A device prototype has been fabricated for implantation into human spinal column. It rests over the posterior and anterior (sensory and motor) spinal roots and allows recording from as well as selective stimulation of multiple spinal roots. The work is spearheaded by Prof. Nick Donaldson and Prof. Andreas Demosthenous at the University College London, UK. In collaboration with engineers from Freiburg University and the Tyndall Institute in Cork, they developed a device that includes a VLSI chip for processing the neural recordings and generating the electrical stimulation pulses. The VLSI chip is hermetically sealed into a can enclosure. Hermeticity of the enclosure is monitored using a humidity sensor. The chip feedthroughs are interconnected with the electrodes using wire bonds. The chip, wires, and electrodes are encapsulated into a soft shell, made presumably from silicone or epoxy. The electrodes are fabricated from platinum foil using laser etching and folded into a slot shape. There are four slots at the bottom of the implant, designed to bring the spinal roots (perhaps two anterior and two posterior ones) into close apposition with the electrodes. Such top placement of a neural interface is rather unusual as existing spinal root electrodes (e.g. Finetech-Brindley stimulators) have employed the cuff design. In order to be able to record neural activity and efficiently deliver the electrical current, the slots must be well-matched in size to the diameter of spinal roots. The initial application for the Active Book implant would be the control of bladder voiding in spinal cord injury. The effectiveness of the prosthetic bladder voiding will be similarly limited as in other sacral root stimulators, including the sensory perception of stimulation in people with residual below-injury sensation and concomitant activation of the bladder and urethral sphincter muscles, as well as other pelvic floor muscles. Other applications in paralyzed humans, such as the control of arm or leg muscles, are not unlikely to be successful with this implant as the applied surface stimulation would not be able to selectively activate a specific arm/leg muscle. Such lack of selectivity is inherent to the anatomy of the anterior spinal roots, which are comprised of mixed axonal bundles innervating different, sometimes antagonistic, muscles.

Hi-def and infrared vision in a subretinal implant from Retina Implant AG

A remarkable milestone has been reached in the resolution of retinal implants – a whopping 1520 pixels (38×40)! Following on the heels of a recent success of Argus II retinal implants developed by theSecond Sight, this implant by the German Retina Implant AG brings a 25-fold increase in resolution and several other unique features. Its subretinal placement is closer to the retinal pigment epithelium than can be achieved with epiretinal placement. This provides more selective stimulation of photoreceptors and results in further improvement in the implant’s resolution. The light sensing circuitry (silicon photodiodes) is built into the implant allowing it to move along with the eye movements.  This is beneficial for more natural cortical processing of visual information, as the visual map in the visual is adjusted during each saccade. Other types of retinal implants use an external videocamera (usually mounted on the glasses) that does not adjust the video information during the eye movements. The implant is 3 x 4 mm and 50 µm thick.  In addition to vision restoration, the implant provides a first-ever vision-enhancing capability – the sensitivity to near-infrared light. Extending the spectrum of perceived light can have some interesting implications, such as the ability to see a thermal shape of the object (the black body radiation) even in complete darkness. The ongoing research by Prof. Eberhart Zrenner at the University of Tuebingen aims to evaluate these implants to develop strategies for further improvements in the sensitivity and targeting of the implants. According to the paper published in the November issue of Proceedings of Royal Society B, the implants have been tested in three patients with hereditary retinal degeneration. All patients could locate bright objects on a dark table, and one patient discerned shades of grey with only 15% contrast. An important question for the retinal implant community, so far not answered by the study, is: how many pixels in the implant provide truly unique information to the retina and whether this spatial threshold has been reached with a 70-µm spacing used in the implant. The answer to this question has far-reaching implications for further technology developments: 1) whether further improvements in the density of planar arrays will translate into more focal stimulation and 2) whether the stimulating sites should be microfabricated to extend from the chip toward the retina in order to achieve the intended 70-µm spatial resolution.

Modified cochlear implant restores vestibular function

Cochlear implants have been around for decades restoring hearing in profoundly deaf people. Now, with the helpof Jay Rubinstein, James Phillips, and other scientists at University of Washington, the old “dog” from Cochlear Ltd has learned a new trick: restoring the sense of balance. The Nucleus® cochlear implant was modified to include three leads with multiples stimulation sites. The leads are implanted into all three semicircular canals of the inner ear to restore the 3D rotational information. The details of the implant design and surgery are provided in this video.

Brain-machine interface for declarative memory in humans

Caltech-BMI-2010
Development of brain-machine interfaces (BMI) greatly accelerated in the last decade, shifting from the monkey feasibility studies toward actual human testing. The pioneering studies with the BrainGate implantable array of microelectrodes proved the usefulness of BMI to a paralyzed person for variety of everyday functions. The latest study, published in October 28, 2010 issue of Nature, provides further evidence that BMI can be used for providing access to specific visual memories.  Researchers at the California Institute of Technology and UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center evaluated the single-unit neuronal activity from the microelectrode arrays implanted in the medial temporal lobe of patients with severe treatment-resistant epilepsy. The recording sites spanned the parahyppocampal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. These brain regions are intimately involved in declarative memory processes. Accessing declarative memory with a closed-loop BMI interface is challenging to setup in monkeys as it requires sophisticated behavioral methods for reading out the animal’s responses. In contrast, visual memories in human subjects can be easily interrogated using images projected on a computer monitor and their feedback for decoding algorithms can be collected by pressing the keyboard buttons. Looking a bit into the future, one can speculate that larger BMI arrays can be used for a comprehensive cognitive interface allowing paralyzed humans to apply their conscious thoughts for controlling their environment.

Neurotech for achieving supernatural memorizing skills

Centre for the Mind at the University of Sydney NSW, directed by Prof. Allan Snyder, in collaboration with Neuromodulation Lab of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, has undertaken an interesting study to demonstrate how neuromodulation can unleash supernatural sensory abilities hidden in normal people.  Their study, published inSeptember issue of Brain Research, shows that a 13-minute application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) – with cathodal current (inhibitory) on the left anterior temporal lobe and anodal current (excitatory) on the right anterior temporal lobe – results intwice as accurate visual recollection as compared to sham stimulation or stimulation with reversed current polarities. Interestingly, the autistic people with a deficit in left anterior temporal lobe also have better visual memory. It is conceivable that improved visual memory is due to a diminishing left hemisphere dominance leading to a right hemisphere compensation. This hypothesis is supported by the finding that people without strong hemisphere dominance have better memory for semantically related words. Right hemisphere is important for recalling specific details without their understanding, which is important for arts, music, mathematics, mechanical and spatial skills – the skills that autistic people are exceptional at. Perhaps, we are all capable of accessing such raw information in the right hemisphere but our abilities are greatly inhibited by our conscious left-dominated awareness. With the help of neuromodulation technology, we can, perhaps, unleash the savant-like mental state, the autistic genius inside of us. For more information about this, please see this comprehensive review by Allan Snyder, published in Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B in 2009.

Neuro-enhancing neurotechnologies: what lies ahead?

Development of new neurotechnologies is driven by a paramount goal of restoring neural functions. Presently, no commercial companies or government-funded research laboratories are actively pursuing the technologies aiming at augmenting and enhancing the functions of the brain or spinal cord in able-bodied humans. Yet, such technologies can readily be developed with minimal modifications of the existing neuro-restorative technologies. Let’s consider, for example the retinal implants (e.g. from Second Sight) that use an external video camera mounted on the glasses. The video camera sensor can be easily replaced with the near-infrared sensitive one to enable perception of thermal signatures in complete darkness (heat vision is actually not that unnatural, just think of the snakes). More peculiar sensory enhancement can be achieved by employing terahertz sensors to enable x-ray-like vision, similar to the full-body scanners deployed recently in airports.  Other types of supernatural sensitivity can be soon be possible with some creativity and engineering ingenuity, by adapting other types of sensors (e.g.  narrow-band spectral detection, ultrasound, accelerometers, etc) and by using the sensors with faster response time as compared with the perception delay of our natural five senses. On the other end of the spectrum of the neuro-restorative devices are the one providing rehabilitation, mobility, and muscle reanimation in paralyzed patients. Novel motor control modalities are already being explored, ranging from a forthcoming powerful neurally-controlled robotic arm (Revolutionizing Prosthetics project by DARPA) to a tongue-implanted joystick (byProf. Ghovanloo at GATech). There is a great potential for developing a range a supernatural skills using the motor-control neurotechnologies. The researchers behind novel sensory and motor technologies are really trying to “play God”, rather they are using the technical resources at their disposal to get to the maximal clinical benefit. Philosophical and ethical concerns will inevitable rise as a result of wider adoption and acceptance of the neuroprosthetic devices.  I foresee a particularly sharp debate in the Christianity-dominated societies, stemming from their strong beliefs in subordinate position of a man relative to God. In parts of Asia, situation is rather different. Buddhist and Hindu religions have a less defined relationship between a man and God, and, as a possible result of that, the Buddhist and Hindu-dominated societies have already become more receptive to novel forms of biotechnology, such as stem cells and genetic engineering. Countries like Singapore and China provided heavy centralized investments to become leading innovation incubators of the 21st century (see “Biotech Without Borders” by Parag and Ayesha Khanna).
http://neurotechzone.com/blog
Satellite »MIND CONTROL« – Bioelectric Weapons
NATO
DARPA –  nano technology
NAVAL – research laboratory satellite
MARYLAND –  bio computers
NAVAL – research laboratory complex in Washington

  1. SATELLITE »MIND CONTROL« – BIOELECTRIC WEAPON

SOME INFORMATION
“The events at the international political scene, in the last few years, confirm that the concept of remote control of human brain is a matter of negotiations. In January 1999 the European Parliament passed a resolution where it calls for an international convention introducing a global ban on all developments and deployments of weapons which might enable any form of manipulation of human beings.”
MIND CONTROL WEAPON
September 9, 2008
The term “Mind control” basically means covert attempts to influence the thoughts and behavior of human beings against their will (or without their knowledge), particularly when surveillance of an individual is used as an integral part of such influencing and the term “Psychotronic Torture” comes from psycho (of psychological) and electronic. This is actually a very sophisticated form of remote technological torture that slowly invalidates and incapacitates a person. These invisible and non-traceable technological assaults on human beings are done in order to destroy someone psychologically and physiologically. Actually, as par scientific resources, the human body, much like a computer, contains myriad data processors. They include, but are not limited to, the chemical-electrical activity of the brain, heart, and peripheral nervous system, the signals sent from the cortex region of the brain to other parts of our body, the tiny hair cells in the inner ear that process auditory signals, and the light-sensitive retina and cornea of the eye that process visual activity. We are on the threshold of an era in which these data processors of the human body may be manipulated or debilitated.
Definition of psychotronic (psycho-physical) weapons
Psychotronic Weapons (PF- weapons) this is the totality of all possible methods and means (techno-genic, suggestive, pharmacological, paranormal, complexes, and others) of hidden, forced influences on the psyche of a person for the purpose of modifying his consciousness, behavior and health for what is desired in the way of influencing aspects of control…” This is not only dangerous, this is deadly!”
The First phase is the harassment/surveillance program.
They use Echelon, Tempest, microchips, implants, see through wall radar, obtain informants, neighbors, and co-conspirators to harass, discredit, and harm an individual. Victims loose their families, jobs, homes, and cars. Ultimate goal to destroy a persons life which will isolate them from family, friends. The isolation is needed to have access to the person to conduct many of the experiments on them.
The second phase is the assaults of Directed Energy Weapons.
After a victim becomes isolated from everyone in the world. The victim now having feelings of regret, remorse, of loss, trauma, and are drained and broken emotionally and physically. During this time many have been implanted with microchips. Many begin experiencing extreme pain to their head. Some hear voices. Then pain is delivered to various other parts of their bodies. The pain is delivered by Directed Energy Weapons.
Directed Energy Weapons.
Some of the weapons were known as non-lethal weapons. They use such weapons as extremely low frequency Elf electromagnetic weapons (which has been used in mind control), acoustics, harmonics (which have been used as a mind control technique), ultrasound, microwave audiograms, microwave pulsed, and radio frequency. Another electromagnetic energy beam can be used to induce “considerable agitation and muscular activity” or “induce muscular weakness and lethargy” this weapon is know as Ultra High Frequency EM. Psychological warfare tactics are being used against unsuspecting citizens to destroy their jobs, their families and their lives. The perpetrators will stop at nothing. Their objective is to utterly destroy a person, very often resulting in a person taking his or her own life, or ending up in a mental hospital. This has been taking place for years and nothing is ever said about it. Nothing is ever written about it. Some people also experience electronic harassment. This is extremely distressing, painful and invasive, and feels like one’s mind and body is undergoing constant rape, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The technology used to do this is unknown, but hundreds of victims report the same physical sensations and experiences. Many take their lives in an attempt to escape the horror. The technology involves the use of electromagnetic waves of various frequencies to achieve different results. Some frequencies will make a person tired, while others may cause confusion or memory loss. “Electronic harassment” or e-harassment is a catch-all term used to describe a group of circumstances which a large number of people are currently experiencing in common.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
PSYCHOTRONIC WEAPONS – BRAIN MANIPULATION FROM A DISTANCE
In October 2010, the congressman Denis J. Kucinich introduced in the American Congress A bill, obliging the American president to get engaged in the negotiations aimed at the ban of space based weapons. In this bill the definition of a weapon system includes: any other unacknowledged or as yet undeveloped means inflicting death or injury on, od damaging or destroying, a person(or the biological life, bodily health, mental health, or physical and economic well-being of a person) through the use of land-based, sea-based, or space-based systems using radiation, electromagnetic, psychotronic, sonic, laser, or other energies directed at individual persons or targeted populations or the purpose of information war, mood management, or mind control of cush persons or populations. As in all legislative acts quoted in this article the bill counts with sound, light or electromagnetic stimulation of human brain.Psychotronic fweapons remain, at least for a layman uninformed of secret military research, in the sphere of science fiction, since so far none of the published scientific experiments was presented in the way which would allow for its replication.
That it is feasible to manipulate human behavior with the use of subliminal, either sound or visual, messages is now generally known. This is why in most of the countries the use of such technologies, without consent of the user, is banned. Devices using light for the stimulation of the brain show another way how the light flashing in certain frequencies could be used for the manipulation of human psychic life. As for the sound, a report on the device transmitting a beam of sound waves, which can hear only persons at whon the beam of sound waves is targeted, appeared last year in the world newspapers.
The beam is formed by a combination of sound and ultrasound waves which causes that a person targeted by this beam hears the sound inside of his head. Such a perception could easily convince the human being that it is mentally ill. The acts presented in this article suggest that with the develpment of technology and knowledge of the functioning of human brain new ways of manipulation of human mind keep emerging. One of them seem to be the electromagnetic energy.  
BRAIN-MACHINE INTERFACE
Robert Asher, Sandia National Laboratories
June 2002,Arlington, Virginia
Increasingly, the human is being asked to take in multisensory inputs, to make near-instantaneous decisions on these inputs, and to apply control forces to multitask and control machines of various sorts. The multitasking, multisensor environment stresses the human, yet, more and more s/he being asked to operate in such an environment. As an example, the visionary project on uninhabited combat vehicles discusses an increased workload in piloting combat vehicles. DARPA has a brain-machine interface program about to start. This program has as its goal human ability to control complex entities by sending control actions without the delay for muscle activation. The major application for this program is control of aircraft. The intent is to take brain signals and use them in a control strategy and then to impart feedback signals back into the brain.  
The DARPA program could be extended to include a broader range of potential impact by including the possibility of other applications: learning and training, automobile control, air traffic control, decision-making, remote sensing of stress, and entertainment. Learning and training might be implemented as information coded into brain signals and then input into the person. Air traffic control in increasingly busy skies can use such capability: the controller has multiple inputs from multiple aircraft. These can be input into his brain in a 3-D aspect and an alertness signal used to “wake him up” when his attention drifts beyond acceptable limits. Not only intellectual data might be passed from one person to another without speaking, but also emotional and volitional information. Decisionmaking may become more precise as emotional, fatigue, and other cognitive states can be appraised prior to making a critical decision. The potential impact on automobile safety is great. The driver can have quicker control of his automobile (Fig. E.15), allowing for safer driving while reducing the car-to-car spacing on congested highways. This would help alleviate highway congestion and the need for more highways. Furthermore, it would allow for safer driving as driver attention can be measured and the driver “alerted” or told in some manner to pay attention to his or her driving when attention wanders beyond safe margins. It can allow for detection of driver impairment so that the vehicle may be made either not to start or to call emergency.
Direct connection into the brain could yield a revolution in entertainment, as people may be “immersed,” MATRIX-style, into the midst of a movie or educational show. Can you imagine the impact of being immersed in a fully 3-D audio-visual simulation of the battle of Gettysburg?
Hands-off control of an automobile through a device for reading and implanting brain waves.
Role of Converging Technologies
Nano. The brain-machine interface effort will require nanotechnologies in order to make the required experimental measurements and to implement the devices for both receiving brain electromagnetic signals and transmitting signals back into the brain.
Bio. This is a highly biological, neuroscience effort, which requires detailed understanding and measurements of the brain’s electromagnetic activity. It requires a significant measurement protocol.
Cogno. This effort by its very nature will directly affect the cognitive aspects of the individual by externally applied electromagnetic fields by implanting information for the individual. Thus, this effort can lead to increased learning and other cognitive results.
Transforming Strategy to Reach the Vision
To achieve these goals, enter a partnership with DARPA to fund additional technologies and applications that would enhance the brain-machine interface effort. Work should be focused on the goals of using the technologies for cognitional aspects, understanding memory, and learning brain function to be able to design devices to increase their capabilities.
Estimated Implications
This effort would yield a technological revolution, in applications from computers to entertainment. It would give the United States a global competitive advantage while yielding solutions to specific domestic problems such as air traffic control and highway safety in increasingly crowded environments. It will revolutionize education. This effort will yield devices that may be applied to a number of activities and be sufficiently small as to be wearable in a car or at home.
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY            
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
1000 NAVY PENTAGON
WASHINGTON DC 20350-1000 SECNAVINST 3900.39D
BUMED MOOR, 3 November 2006

SECNAV INSTRUCTION 3900.39D
From: Secretary of the Navy
Subj: HUNAN RESEARCH PROTECTION PROGRAM
i. International Research.
 Research involving human subjects who are not U.S. citizens or DOD personnel, conducted outside the United States, and its territories and possessions, requires permission of the host country. The laws, customs, and practices of the host country and those required by this instruction will be followed. An ethics review by the host country, or local Naval IRE with host country representation, is required.

j. Classified Research.
 Classified research with human subjects is held to the same ethical principles and human subject protections as unclassified research and must receive prior approval from the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) (SECDEF Memorandum of December 13, 1999) . Classified research is not eligible for review under expedited review procedures as noted in reference (n)
A. Research includes, but is not limited to, any project,
task, test, pilot study, experiment, investigation, study,
clinical study, clinical investigation, clinical trial,
evaluation, developmental effort or similar undertaking, whether
or not conducted or supported under a program that is officially
considered research. Any effort, even if not considered
research for other purposes, is considered research for purposes
of this instruction.
EUROPA – TARGETED  INDIVIDUALS
The human mind has never been a simple project. Because of its complexity and plasticity, it has yet not been completely understood. Under the dark ages of brain research, scientists have nevertheless learned how to stimulate and partially control the human brain’s responses. At any time it has been done, it has caused pain and suffering for the owner of the brain: the human subject.
Backed up by the “best” scientists, sponsored by the military and the secret service, thousands of individuals have their lives destroyed in the quest of developing technologies that are not science fiction anymore.
The human brain, is seen as a computer where information can be downloaded and from where information can be uploaded. Cloning the individual’s brain and nervous system is the only hope today’s scientists have to understand the human brain and develop advanced artificial intelligence and synthetic telepathy, allowing people to communication by thought, not speech. The European and World countries governments, faced with this “challenge” are unable to protect their citizens against the greatest possible violations of their human rights. There are no excuses whatsoever for researchers to destroy people’s and entire families lives. Under the secrecy of “national security”, they violate human rights conventions and every universal human right a human being is born with, going deep into the very consciousness of the person that is affected.
DIRECTED ENERGY PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY
These Directed Energy (DE) internships are concerned with the research, development and testing of high energy laser and high power microwave components, systems and effects at Federal laboratories and universities at sites around the country. Most of these positions are made possible by funding from the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office.
Internship Qualifications
These paid summer internship positions are available for currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at U.S. colleges and universities. Positions are open to U.S. citizens only. The disciplines include but are not limited to these:
  • science – physics, chemistry
  • engineering – electrical, optical, chemical, mechanical, and materials
  • mathematics and computer science
Position Descriptions
Generally, interns will work for the summer in a laboratory or university under the tutelage of full time researchers. Work may include experimental, theoretical, or computer modeling and simulation, depending on the position. Specific work assignments, hours and pay will vary.
Organizations
The organizations below are expected to offer these internships in 2012. Advertising for open positions will begin in December 2011.
  • 711 Human Performance Wing – Texas
     
  • Air Force Institute of Technology – Ohio
     
  • Air Force Research Laboratory – Hawaii, New Mexico
     
  • Army Research Laboratory- Maryland
     
  • Naval Postgraduate School – California
     
  • Naval Research Laboratory (satellite) – Washington, D.C., Florida
     
  • US Army Space and Missile Defense Command – Alabama
INTERMITTENT VORTICITY, POWER SPECTRAL
SCALING AND DYNAMICAL MEASURES ON RESTING
BRAIN MAGNETIC FIELD FLUCTUATIONS
A Pilot Study
Arnold J. Mandell, Karen A. Selz, Tom Holroyd, Linsay Rutter
and Richard Coppola
NIMH Core MEG Laboratory and Cielo Institute
Supported in part by the Fetzer-Franklin Trust, DARPA
(Microelectronics) and the Space and Naval Warfare Center
The Eyes Closed, Resting Record
The time dynamics of global brain electromagnetic field activity, recorded in humans as continuous, eyes closed resting MEG (and EEG) records, are regarded by some as reflections of physiologically and psychologically relevant, emergent macroscopic behavior of nonlinearly coupled, cooperative brain systems (Basar et al., 1983; Bucolo et al., 2003; Chen et al., 2003; Friedrich et al., 1989; Haken, 2 1996; Mandell, 1983a). Others, more involved in neuronal current source localization studies of task or state-related magneto-encephalographic records (Cornwell et al., 2008; Fife et al., 2002; Garolera et al., 2007; Nolte et al., 2004) have treated the globally distributed, spontaneous neuronal current generated, brain magnetic field activity as “…high-ranked (leading eigenvalued) background activity… interfering magnetic fields generated from (not relevant) spontaneous brain activities…intrinsic brain noise…” (Sekihara et al., 1996; Sekihara et al., 2008; Sekihara et al., 2006). Covariance matrix-derived beamformers from several minutes of the eyes-closed resting record have been used in “prewhitening techniques”, adding noise in order to get around linear dependency in the matrix if it is too low dimensional and to minimize interfering low dimensional intrinsic brain magnetic field noise (Sekihara et al., 2008; Zumer et al., 2007; Zumer et al., 2008).
Another view of spontaneous magnetic field fluctuations have been
influenced by studies of spatial (neuroanatomical) brain localization using concomitant fMRI techniques. They have suggested the existence of spontaneous, regional, above baseline activity in the normal eyes closed, resting state. This activity is particularly pronounced in medial
prefrontal, parietal and both posterior and anterior cingulate, and is suppressed during goal-directed behavior (Damoiseaus et al., 2006; Griecius et al., 2003; Gusnard & Raichle, 3 2001). Activity in this “network” has been labeled “default activation” by Raichle (Raichle ME et al., 2001). The many second time scale of fMRI imaging demonstrated density variations that were characteristic for the normal eyes closed, resting condition (Biswal et al., 1995). Importantly, the spontaneous activity in the resting state also appears to involve neural network activity across several time scales (Honey et al., 2007).
In two state, task-no task, experimental designs, the resting activity, “default activation, ” has been speculated to reflect spontaneous, task unrelated, images and thoughts (Greicius & Menon, 2004; Greicius et al., 2004; Raichle ME et al., 2001; Vincent et al., 2007).
These transient mental events in the eyes closed, resting condition have also been called “daydreaming” (Singer, 1966 ), “task-unrelated-thoughts,” TUTs(Giambra, 1989), “unrest at rest”(Buckner & Vincent, 2007), “wandering minds,” and “stimulus independent thought”, SITs (Gilbert et al., 2007). Psychologists that have studied inner life subjectively, William James (James, 1902) and Sigmund Freud (Freud, 1914/1955 among many others, have focused on these autonomously arising transient streams of free associations and imagery. James analogized them to the turbulent eddies of the hydrodynamic flow of consciousness which he believed these transients to be among the universal properties of the conscious human brain. Examinations of a subject’s spontaneous 4 internal activity as exteriorized by the psychoanalytic instruction, “…say everything that comes to your mind…” has been central to the practice of psychoanalysis for over a Century {Fenichel, 1945 #8190). It appears that the ostensibly resting “default brain activity” in the “default network” persists in monkeys through anesthesia-induced changes in states of consciousness (Vincent et al., 2007). This result is consistent with a several decade history of research using priming, evoked potentials and task recovery paradigms to demonstrate implicit, working memorial events that occur during even surgical anesthesia (Jordon et al., 2000). The implied relationship between 2-5 second epochs of MEG activation such as that seen below in Fig. 5 as intermittent helical vortices (we call them strudels) and TUT or SIT-like subjective phenomena must remain entirely speculative.
General Premise and Hypothesis
It is the underlying premise of this pilot study of intrinsic brain magnetic field fluctuations that they manifest signatory patterns in transformations and measures which can discriminate among global brain states. We examine this premise by partially isolating and qualitatively and quantitatively characterizing 12.5, 54, 180 or 240 seconds of eyes closed, resting spontaneous magnetic field activity in ten resting controls and ten medicated schizophrenic probands. From our previous 5 work in brain-related physiological systems (Mandell, 1979; Mandell, 1983b; Mandell,  1987; Mandell et al., 1982; Mandell & Selz, 1993), a more specific hypothesis is suggested:
Compared with controls, magnetic field fluctuations in schizophrenic patients will demonstrate relatively higher values for indices of emergent dynamical structure and relatively lower values for a variety of measures reflecting the dynamical entropy “used up” in their formation (Mandell & Selz, 1997c; Selz & Mandell, 1991; Selz et al., 1995; Smotherman et al., 1996).
A MEG Derived Data Series: Symmetric Sensor Difference Sequences, ssds(i)
Ten normal controls and ten age- and sex-matched schizophrenic proband subjects (see Subjects below) were studied in the National Institutes of Mental Health’s Core MEG Laboratory in Bethesda, MD. A 275 channel, superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID radial gradiometer system from CTF Systems Inc. Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada (Anninos et al., 1986; Cohen, 1972; Rutter et al., 2009; Weinberg et al., 1984) was used in data collection (see Magnetoencephalographic Data Collection below).
6 Our approach to MEG-derived signals abrogates source orientation,
localization and inverse problem tools such as leadfield matrices (Dale & Sereno, 1993; Hamalainen et al., 1993), adaptive synthetic aperture magnetometer, SAM, beamformer techniques, or projection onto Talairached MRI image reconstructed volumes (Dalal et al., 2008; Dalal et al., 2004). For these approaches to this data set, see Rutter et al (Rutter et al., 2009). In their study of spontaneous activity in the eyes closed, resting state, they found a statistically significant decrement in the amplitudes of MEG recorded posterior regional gamma (30-70Hz+) activity in schizophrenic patients compared with normal controls (Rutter et al., 2009). In that study as well as these, a high pass, 0.6 Hz, as well as 60, 120, 180 and 240 Hz notch filters were routinely applied to the individual sensor records before the computation of the sensor pair ssds(i), (the difference between the two sensor). It  is our presupposition that the “…spontaneous activity… all over the brain…” (Sekihara et al., 2008) reflects global and neurophysiologically meaningful patterns of complex neuronal activity-generated magnetic field fluctuations in interaction with MEG SQUID sensors (Barone A & G., 1982; Braiman & Wiesenfeld, 1994). A magnetic flux applied to the SQUID magnetometer, gives rise to a circulating current, which in turn modulates the inductance of the autonomously oscillatory Josephson junctions (Landberg et al., 1966; Levi et al., 1977). The great sensitivity of the SQUID devices permits measuring changes in magnetic field associated with even a single flux quantum.
7 If a constant biasing current is maintained in the SQUID device, it is the voltage which is modulated by changes in phase at junctions. Phase at Josephson junctions is sensitive to the quanta of magnetic flux. We dismiss a common generalization of many MEG practitioners that most or all local polarities of the intrinsic magnetic field noise “cancel out.” In the context of the somewhat analogous magnetic dynamo problem: “…given a flow in a conducting fluid, will a small seed magnetic field amplify exponentially with time…” (Finn & Ott, 1988)–we show below that ssds(i)s do– it was argued that the magnetic flux loops nonuniformly stretch and fold into themselves manifesting only partial cancellation and diffuse fine scale oscillations, in a process which can be quantified by a fractional cancellation exponent (Ott et al., 1992) and measures made on temporal-spatial intermittency.
In addition, if some currents run parallel to magnetic fields, which is expected to be the case with poorly localized, multiple neocortical neuronal sources, the magnetic field lines may follow a variety of dynamical shapes in which the magnetic pressure gradient is balanced by the magnetic tension. For example, there may not be any Lorentz force, J x B = 0, leading to a measurable field configuration without any net electrical current at all. We thus don’t infer a particular neuronal current source (or event) for the data series. Characterizing the fluctuations allows the elucidation of patterns in the brain’s global magnetic field flux dynamics without reference to anatomical location (Clarke, 1994).
8 example, we find a common dynamical pattern often involves intermittently appearing, multiple time scale helical vortices. We call them unwindable strudels lest they lead to the brain being called a critically loaded sand pile that spawns avalanches (Beggs & Plenz, 2005; Levina et al., 2007)). In comparison with the several second time resolution of fMRI, the MEG’s superior temporal resolution, ~ 1 ms, combined with its “underdetermined” weaknesses with respect to specific brain localization when used alone (Hamalainen et al., 1993; Im et al., 2005; Lee et al., 2007; Sarvas, 1987; Uutela et al., 1998), suited our goal of characterizing magnetic field (rather than inferred neuronal) properties of what has been called intrinsic physiological brain noise (Nagarajan et al., 2006; Sekihara et al., 1997; Sekihara et al., 2005). The use of ssds(i) exploits the hemispheric symmetry of the human brain (Geschwind, 1970) and serves several purposes:
(1) It imposes a natural gauge (distance serves as a traveling, local normalization procedure; (3) The ssdi(i) reduces the penetrance of electromagnetic field correlates of blink, cough, and movement as well as the cardiac and respiratory artifacts that both symmetric sensors generally share; (4) Using ssds(i) instead of the raw MEG time series tends to cancel the symmetrically shared generic MEG (and EEG) Δ, Θ, α, β, and γ modes, as well as other patterns of bihemispheric covariance; (5) Advantageous from the magnetic field point of view is the fact that using ssds(i) makes issues of 9 neuronal current source location moot; ; the spatial sensitivity profile of the ssds(i) considered as a virtual sensor typically covers a large volume of the brain. The techniques similar to that used here of paired sensor difference series, ssds(i), have been used to reduce or remove the mean and double or more the higher moments in analyses of nonstationary neural membrane conductance noise
(Conti et al., 1980; DeFelice, 1977; Sigworth, 1981).
NAVAL –  research laboratory experiments (NRL) Florida
The beam is formed by a combination of sound and ultrasound waves which causes that a person targeted by this beam hears the sound inside of his head. Such a perception could easily convince the human being that it is mentally ill. The acts presented in this article suggest that with the develpment of technology and knowledge of the functioning of human brain new ways of manipulation of human mind keep emerging. One of them seem to be the electromagnetic energy.  
Pentagon report investigated lasers    
that put voices in your head   
February 18, 2008
by Lisa Zyga
A recently unclassified report from the Pentagon from 1998 has revealed an investigation into using laser beams for a few intriguing potential methods of non-lethal torture.Some of the applications the report investigated include putting voices in people’s heads, using lasers to trigger uncontrolled neuron firing, and slowly heating the human body to a point of feverish confusion – all from hundreds of meters away.
A US citizen requested access to the document, entitled “Bioeffects of Selected Non-Lethal Weapons,” under the Freedom of Information Act a little over a year ago. There is no evidence that any of the technologies mentioned in the 10-year-old report have been developed since the time it was written
The report explained several types of non-lethal laser applications, including microwave hearing, disrupted neural control, and microwave heating. For the first type, short pulses of RF energy (2450 MHz) can generate a pressure wave in solids and liquids. When exposed to pulsed RF energy, humans experience the immediate sensation of “microwave hearing” – sounds that may include buzzing, ticking, hissing, or knocking that originate within the head. Studies with guinea pigs and cats suggest that the mechanism responsible for the phenomenon is thermoelastic expansion.
Exposure to the RF pulses doesn´t cause any permanent effects, as all effects cease almost immediately after exposure ceases.
As the report explains, tuning microwave hearing could enable communicating with individuals from a distance of up to several hundred meters.
The report explains:
The phenomenon is tunable in that the characteristic sounds and intensities of those sounds depend on the characteristics of the RF energy as delivered… Because the frequency of the sound heard is dependent on the pulse characteristics of the RF energy, it seems possible that this technology could be developed to the point where words could be transmitted to be heard like the spoken word, except that it could only be heard within a person´s head.
In one experiment, communication of the words from one to ten using ´speech modulated´ microwave energy was successfully demonstrated. Microphones next to the person experiencing the voice could not pick up these sounds. Additional development of this would open up a wide range of possibilities.” The report predicts that communicating at longer distances would be possible with larger equipment, while shorter range signals could be generated with portable equipment. Putting voices in people´s heads could cause what the report calls “psychologically devastating” effects. The technology might even allow for communicating with an individual hostage surrounded by captors, although this would require “extreme directional specificity. With another weapon, electromagnetic pulses could be used to disrupt the brain´s functioning, although this technology was still in the theoretical stages at the time.
Under normal conditions, all brain structures function with specific rhythmic activity depending on incoming sensory information.
Sometimes, the brain synchronizes neuronal activity in order to focus on a specific task, but the degree of neuronal synchronization is highly controlled. However, under certain conditions (such as physical stress or heat stroke), more areas of the brain can fire in a highly synchronized manner, and may begin firing uncontrollably. The report describes a method for replicating this highly synchronized neuron firing across distances of several hundred meters. High-voltage (100 kV/m) electromagnetic pulses lasting for one nanosecond could trigger neurons to fire, disrupting the body´s controlled firing activity. Short-term effects may include loss of consciousness, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, and seizures lasting for a couple minutes. These high-voltage pulsed sources, which would require an estimated frequency of 15 Hz, exist today.
Another form of non-lethal torture described in the report is microwave heating. By raising the temperature of the body to 41°C (105.8°F), humans can experience sensations such as memory loss and disorientation, and exhibit reduced aggression. According to the report, humans can survive temperatures up to 42°C (107.6°F), at which time prolonged exposure can result in permanent brain damage or death. The microwave heating technique was tested on a Rhesus monkey, where a 225 MHz beam caused an increase in the animal´s body temperature. Depending on the dosage level, the temperature increase occurred within a time of 15 to 30 minutes. After the beam was removed, the animal´s body temperature decreased back to normal.
The report suggests the technique could be useful for controlling crowds or in negotiations. While the investigations reveal intriguing techniques for non-lethal torture, the report does not mention plans for carrying out specific experiments or studies in the future.
DARPA – nanotechnology
1.Military Defense Robotics
Machines Will Rise: Becoming Self Aware
The Department of Defense is building robots for the Pentagon. It has been seen as a move that could advance AI research and move the Defense robotics industry into the New Age. As viewed in our Exoskeleton section one of the leading manufactures in the exoskeleton arena is a company called Cyberdyne Technologies. Industry experts are already predicting that when the soldier steps out of this unit the exoskeleton will be able to operate autonomously.
2.NANO SOLDIERS
A New Industrial Revolution
In January 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton requested a $227-million increase in the government’s investment in nanotechnology research and development, which included a major initiative called the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). This initiative nearly doubled America ‘s 2000 budget investment in nanotechnology, bringing the total invested in nanotechnology to $497 million for the 2001 national budget. In a written statement, White House officials said that “nanotechnology is the new frontier and its potential impact is compelling.” About 70 percent of the new nanotechnology funding will go to university research efforts, which will help meet the demand for workers with nanoscale science and engineering skills. The initiative will also fund the projects of several governmental agencies, including the National Science Foundation , the Department of Defense , the Department of Energy , the National Institutes of Health , NASA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Much of the research will take more than 20 years to complete, but the process itself could touch off a new industrial revolution. Nanotechnology is likely to change the way almost everything, including medicine, computers and cars, are designed and constructed. Nanotechnology is anywhere from five to 15 years in the future, and we won’t see dramatic changes in our world right away.
A Short History of Nanotechnology
1959
Feynman gives after-dinner talk describing molecular machines building with atomic precision
1974
Taniguchi uses term “nano-technology” in paper on ion-sputter machining
1977
Drexler originates molecular nanotechnology concepts at MIT
1981
First technical paper on molecular engineering to build with atomic precision STMinvented
1985
Buckyball discovered
1986
First book published
AFM invented
First organization formed
1987
First protein engineered
First university symposium
1988
First university course
1989
IBM logo spelled in individual atoms
First national conference
1990
First nanotechnology journal
Japan’s STA begins funding nanotech projects
1991
Japan”s MITI announces bottom-up “atom factory“
IBM endorses bottom-up path
Japan’s MITI commits $200 million
Carbon nanotube discovered
1992
First textbook published
First Congressional testimony
1993
First Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for modeling a hydrogen abstraction tool useful in nanotechnology
First coverage of nanotech from White House
“Engines of Creation” book given to Rice administration, stimulating first universitynanotech center
1994
Nanosystems textbook used in first university course
US Science Advisor advocates nanotechnology
1995
First think tank report
First industry analysis of military applications
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for synthesis of complex three-dimensional structures with DNA molecules
1996
$250,000 Feynman Grand Prize announced
First European conference
NASA begins work in computational nanotech
First nanobio conference
1997
First company founded: Zyvex
First design of nanorobotic system
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for work in computational nanotechnology and using scanning probe microscopes to manipulate molecules
1998
First NSF forum, held in conjunction with Foresight Conference
First DNA-based nanomechanical device
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for computational modeling of molecular tools for atomically-precise chemical reactions and for building molecular structures through the use of self-organizatio
1999
First Nanomedicine book published
First safety guidelines
Congressional hearings on proposed National Nanotechnology Initiative
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for development of carbon nanotubes for potential computing device applications and for modeling the operation of molecular machine designs
2000
President Clinton announces U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative
First state research initiative: $100 million in California
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for computational materials science for nanostructures and for building a molecular switch
2001
First report on nanotech industry
U.S. announces first center for military applications
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for theory of nanometer-scale electronic devices and for synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotubes and nanowires
2002
First nanotech industry conference
Regional nanotech efforts multiply
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for using DNA to enable the self-assembly of new structures and for advancing our ability to model molecular machine systems
2003
Congressional hearings on societal implications
Call for balancing NNI research portfolio
Drexler/Smalley debate is published in Chemical & Engineering News
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for modeling the molecular and electronic structures of new materials and for integrating single molecule biological motors with nano-scale silicon devices
2004
First policy conference on advanced nanotech
First center for nanomechanical systems
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for designing stable protein structures and for constructing a novel enzyme with an altered function
2005
At Nanoethics meeting, Roco announces nanomachine/nanosystem project count has reached 300 Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for for designing a wide variety of single molecular functional nanomachines and for synthesizing macromolecules of intermediate sizes with designed shapes and functions
2006
National Academies nanotechnology report calls for experimentation toward molecular manufacturing
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for work in molecular computation and algorithmic self-assembly, and for producing complex two-dimensional arrays of DNA nanostructures
2007
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for construction of molecular machine systems that function in the realm of Brownian motion, and molecular machines based upon two-state mechanically interlocked compounds
2008
Technology Roadmap for Productive Nanosystems released
Protein catalysts designed for non-natural chemical reactions
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for work in molecular electronics and the synthesis of molecular motors and nanocars, and for theoretical contributions to nanofabrication and sensing
2009
An improved walking DNA nanorobot
Structural DNA nanotechnology arrays devices to capture molecular building blocksDesign ‘from scratch’ of a small protein that performed the function performed by natural globin proteins Organizing functional components on addressable DNA scaffoldsFeynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for experimental demonstrations of mechanosynthesis using AFM to manipulate single atoms, and for computational analysis of molecular tools to build complex molecular structures
2010
DNA-based ‘robotic’ assembly begins
Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded for work in single atom manipulations and atomic switches, and for development of quantum mechanical methods for theoretical predictions of molecules and solids
2011
First programmable nanowire circuits for nanoprocessors
DNA molecular robots learn to walk in any direction along a branched track
Mechanical manipulation of silicon dimers on a silicon surface
MORE  INFORMATIONS….”!

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE  IN AMERICA
HAVE  SECRET  CODE -  ” PILOT STUDY”!!!
***************************************
THAT  IS   EXPERIMENT  OF  NAVAL-DARPA ON  CIVILIANS PEOPLES!

- international research of MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AMERICA
- secret research MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AMERICA

- “Ministry of defence”  of each country NATA
- NATO   from 1980 participate with DARPA-NAVAL!
- NATO -  “RTO research technology organisation”
- IRIS – /Ministry of defence USA/ satellite tracking peoples
- MATRIX – reading thoughts “brain machine computer system”
- “Pilot study – experiment”  -  reasons -
  ”reading thoughts in car, home, on job ”
-  DARPA -  nano technology
-  NAVAL – satellite research laboratory
-  MARYLAND…  bio  computers


SPACE WEAPON – MIND CONTROL – MIND WEAPON
Documents

PENTAGON – Pilot study….!!!
http://www.earthpulse.com/epulseuploads/articles/NavyRegulationForHumanTesting.pdf
RUSSIA
http://www.earthpulse.com/epulseuploads/articles/ControlledOffensiveBehavior.pdf
RUSSIA – USA
http://www.earthpulse.com/epulseuploads/articles/ParaphysicsRDWarsawPact.pdf
AND
http://www.earthpulse.com/epulseuploads/articles/SovietCzechoslovakianParapsycho.pdf

United States Patent    4,877,027
Brunkan    October 31, 1989
Hearing system
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,877,027.PN.&OS=PN/4,877,027&RS=PN/4,877,027

Abstract

Sound is induced in the head of a person by radiating the head with microwaves in the range of 100 megahertz to 10,000 megahertz that are modulated with a particular waveform. The waveform consists of frequency modulated bursts. Each burst is made up of ten to twenty uniformly spaced pulses grouped tightly together. The burst width is between 500 nanoseconds and 100 microseconds. The pulse width is in the range of 10 nanoseconds to 1 microsecond. The bursts are frequency modulated by the audio input to create the sensation of hearing in the person whose head is irradiated.
Inventors:    Brunkan; Wayne B. (Goleta, CA)
Appl. No.:    07/202,679
Filed:    June 6, 1988

Current U.S. Class:    607/56
Current International Class:    A61F 11/04 (20060101); A61F 11/00 (20060101); A61N 005/00 ()
Field of Search:    128/420.5,804,419R,421,422,746 381/68
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
      
3629521   December 1971   Puharich et al.
3766331   October 1973   Zink

Other References

Cain et al, "Mammalian Auditory Responses . . . ", IEEE Trans Biomed Eng, pp. 288-293, 1978. .
Frey et al, "Human Perception . . . Energy" Science, 181,356-358, 1973. .
Jaski, "Radio Waves & Life", Radio-Electronics, pp. 45-45, Sep. 1960. .
Microwave Auditory Effects and Applications, Lin, 1978, pp. 176-177..

Primary Examiner: Cohen; Lee S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brelsford; Harry W.
Claims


I claim:

1. Apparatus for creating human hearing comprising:

(a) an audio source for creating electrical audio waves having positive peaks;

(b) a frequency modulator generator connected to the audio source to create frequency modulated bursts;

(c) a source of constant voltage to create a voltage standard that is in the range of 25% to 85% of the peak voltage of the audio waves;

(d) a comparator connected to the voltage source and the audio source to compare the instantaneous voltage of the waves from the audio source with the voltage standard;

(e) a connection of the comparator to the frequency modulator generator to activate the frequency modulator generator when the instantaneous voltage of the audio wave exceeds the standard voltage;

(f) a microwave generator creating microwaves in the range of 100 megahertz to 10,000 megahertz and connected to the frequency modulator generator, generating microwaves only when pulsed by the frequency modulator generator; and

(g) an antenna connected to the microwave generator to radiate the head of a human being to produce the sounds of the audio source.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frequency generating range of the frequency modulator generator is 1 Khz to 100 KHz for bursts and 100 KHz to 20 MHZ for pulses within a burst.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frequency generating range of the frequency modulator generator is one Khz to 100 KHz for bursts and 100 KHz to 20 MHZ for pulses within a burst and the duration of each pulse of the frequency modulator generator is in the range of 10 nanoseconds to 1 microsecond.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the voltage standard is approximately 50% of the peak of the audio waves.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the antenna is of the type that projects the microwaves in space to the head of a person.

6. Apparatus for creating human hearing comprising:

(a) an oscillator creating an electromagnetic carrier wave at a selected frequency in the range of 100 Mhz to 10,000 Mhz;

(b) a pulse generator connected to said oscillator to pulse the carrier with pulses having a width in the range of 10 nanoseconds to 1 microsecond with a minimum spacing between pulses of about 25 nanoseconds;

(c) a frequency modulator connected to the pulse generator;

(d) an audio signal generator connected to the modulator which modulates the pulses in accordance with the audio signal; and

(e) a transmitting antenna connected to the oscillator to transmit the carrier wave as thus modified to project the electromagnetic energy through space to the head of a person.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the modulator is a frequency modulator to vary the density of bursts within an audio envelope as a function of the audio amplitude.

8. The method of irradiating a person's head to produce sound in the head of the person comprising

(a) irridiating the head of a person with microwaves in the range of 100 Mhz to 10,000 Mhz;

(b) pulsing said microwaves with pulses in the range of 10 nanoseconds to 1 microsecond; and

(c) frequency modulating groups of pulses called bursts by audio waves wherein the modulation extends from 1 Khz to 100 Khz.
Description


This invention relates to a hearing system for human beings in which high frequency electromagnetic energy is projected through the air to the head of a human being and the electromagnetic energy is modulated to create signals that can be discerned by the human being regardless of the hearing ability of the person.

THE PRIOR ART

Various types of apparatus and modes of application have been proposed and tried to inject intelligible sounds into the heads of human beings. Some of these have been devised to simulate speech and other sounds in deaf persons and other systems have been used to inject intelligible signals in persons of good hearing, but bypassing the normal human hearing organs.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,521 issued Dec. 21, 1971 describes the use of a pair of electrodes applied to a person's head to inject speech into the head of a deaf person. An oscillator creates a carrier in the range of 18 to 36 KHz that is amplitude modulated by a microphone.

Science magazine volume 181, page 356 describes a hearing system utilizing a radio frequency carrier of 1.245 GHz delivered through the air by means of a waveguide and horn antenna. The carrier was pulsed at the rate of 50 pulses per second. The human test subject reported a buzzing sound and the intensity varied with the peak power.

Similar methods of creating "clicks" inside the human head are reported in I.E.E.E. Transactions of Biomedical Engineering, volume BME 25, No. 3, May 1978.

The transmission of intelligible speech by audio modulated Microwave is described in the book Microwave Auditory Effects and Applications by James C. Lin 1978 publisher Charles C. Thomas.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

I have discovered that a pulsed signal on a radio frequency carrier of about 1,000 megahertz (1000 MHz) is effective in creating intelligible signals inside the head of a person if this electromagnetic (EM) energy is projected through the air to the head of the person. Intelligible signals are applied to the carrier by microphone or other audio source and I cause the bursts to be frequency modulated. The bursts are composed of a group of pulses. The pulses are carefully selected for peak strength and pulse width. Various objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent in the specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings forming an integral part of this specification:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an audio wave which is the input to be perceived by the recipient.

FIG. 3 is a diagram on the same time coordinate as FIG. 2 showing bursts that are frequency modulated by the wave form of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows, on an enlarged time coordinate, that each vertical line depicted in FIG. 3 is a burst of pulses. (A burst is a group of pulses).

FIG. 5 shows, on a further enlarged time coordinate, a single continues pulse, Depicted as a vertical line in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Inasmuch as microwaves can damage human tissue, any projected energy must be carefully regulated to stay within safe limits. The guideline for 1,000 MHz, set by the American Standards Institute, is 3.3 mw/cm2 (3.3 milliwatts per square centimeter). The apparatus described herein must be regulated to stay within this upper limit.

Referring to FIG. 1 a microphone 10 or other generator of audio frequencies, delivers its output by wire 11 to an FM capable pulse generator 12 and by branch wire 13 to a comparator 14. The comparator 14 also receives a signal from a voltage standard 16. When the peak voltage of the audio generator 10 falls below the standard 16 the comparator delivers a signal by wire 17 to the FM capable pulse generator 12 to shut down the pulse generator 12. This avoids spurious signals being generated. The output of the FM pulse generator 12 is delivered by wire 18 to a microwave generator 19 which delivers its output to the head of a human being 23. In this fashion the person 23 is radiated with microwaves that are in short bursts.

The microwave generator 19 operates at a steady frequency presently preferred at 1,000 megahertz (1,000 million). I presently prefer to pulse the microwave energy at pulse widths of 10 nanoseconds to 1 microsecond. For any one setting of the FM capable generator 12, this width is fixed. The pulses are arranged in bursts. The timing between bursts is controlled by the height of the audio envelope above the voltage standard line. In addition the bursts are spaced from one another at a non-uniform rate of 1 to 100 KHz. This non-uniform spacing of bursts is created in the FM capable generator 12.

Referring to FIG. 2 there is illustrated an audio wave 27 generated by the audio input 10 wherein the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is voltage. For illustrative purposes the wave 27 is shown as having a voltage peak 28 on the left part of FIG. 2 and a voltage peak 29 of the right side of FIG. 2. The voltage standard 16 of FIG. 1 generates a dc voltage designated at 31 in FIG. 2. This standard voltage is preferably at about 50% of the peak voltage 28. The comparator 14 of FIG. 1 actuates the FM capable generator 12 only when the positive envelope of the audio wave 27 exceeds the voltage standard. The negative portions of the audio wave are not utilized.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is illustrated two groups of bursts of microwave energy that are delivered by the antenna 22 of FIG. 1 to the head of the person 23. FIG. 3 has a horizontal time axis identical to the time axis of FIG. 2 and has a vertical axis that in this case represents the power of the microwaves from generator 19. At the left part of FIG. 3 are a plurality of microwave bursts 32 that occur on the time axis from the point of intersection of the standard voltage 31 with the positive part of the audio wave 27, designated as the time point 33 to time point 34 on FIG. 2. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that the bursts 32 are non-uniform in spacing and that they are closer together at the time of maximum audio voltage 28 and are more spread out toward the time points 33 and 34. This is the frequency modulation effected by the FM pulse generator 12.

Referring to the right part of FIG. 3 there are a plurality of microwave bursts 36 that are fewer in number and over a shorter time period than the pulses 32. These extend on the time axis of FIG. 2 from point 37 to point 38. These bursts 36 are also frequency modulated with the closest groupings appearing opposite peak 29 of FIG. 2 and greater spacing near time points 37 and 38.

Referring now to FIG. 4 there is illustrated the fact that a single burst shown as straight lines 32 or 36 on FIG. 3 are made up of ten to twenty separate microwave pulses. The duration of the burst is between 500 nanoseconds and 100 microseconds, with an optimum of 2 microseconds. The duration of each pulse within the burst is 10 nanoseconds to 1 microsecond and a time duration of 100 nanoseconds is preferred. The bursts 32 of FIG. 3 are spaced non-uniformly from each other caused by the frequency modulation of 12. FIG. 4 depicts a burst. Each vertical line 40 in FIG. 4 represents a single pulse. Each pulse is represented by the envelope 41 of FIG. 5. The pulses within a burst are spaced uniformly from eachother. The spacing between pulses may vary from 5 nanoseconds to 10 microseconds.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the concentration of bursts 32 opposite the peak 28 of FIG. 2 can be expressed as a frequency of repetition. I presently prefer to adjust the FM capable generator 12 to have a maximum frequency of repetition in the range of 25 Khz to 100 Khz. I deliberately keep this range low to reduce the amount of heating caused by the microwaves. The wider spacing of the pulses 32 opposite the cutoff points 33 and 34 of FIG. 2 can also be expressed as a frequency of reptition and I presently prefer a minimum repetition rate of 1 KHz. I find that this low repetition rate, altnough in the audio range, does not disrupt the transmission of auoio intelligence to the person 23. The aim, again, is to reduce the amount of heat transmitted to the subject 23.

OPERATION

Referring to FIG. 1, the intelligence to be perceived by the person 23 is introduced at the audio source 10 which may be a microphone for voice, or a tape player for music, instruction, etc. This audio signal is transmitted to the FM capable generator 12 and to the comparator 14. The comparator 14 compares the positive portions of the audio wave with voltage from the voltage standard 16 and when the audio wave instantaneously exceeds the standard voltage, the FM generator is actuated by the wire 17 connecting the comparator 14 and the FM generator 12. The FM generator 12 then sends a plurality of signals to the microwave generator 19 at each peak of the audio wave above the voltage standard.

This is shown graphically in FIGS. 2-5. The audio signal 27 of FIG. 2 exceeds the standard voltage 31 at point 33 whereupon the FM generator 12 starts emitting burst signals 32 at its lowest frequency of about 1 Khz. As time progresses past point 33 the voltage above the standard increases and the FM generator 12 responds by making the burst signals closer together until at peak 28 the maximum density of burst signals 32 is achieved, for example at a frequency of 50 Khz. The time duration of each pulse 40 (FIG. 4) is also controlled by a fixed adjustment of the FM generator 12 and for example the duration may be 100 nanoseconds.

The frequency modulated burst signals are delivered by FM generator 12 to the microwave generator as interrupted dc and the microwave generator is turned on in response to each pulse 40 and its output is delivered by coaxial cable 21 to the parabolic antenna 22 to project microwaves onto the head of a person 23. These microwaves penetrate the brain enough so that the electrical activity inside of the brain produces the sensation of sound. When the parameters are adjusted for the particular individual, he perceives intelligible audio, entirely independently of his external hearlng organs.

PRESENTLY PREFERRED QUANTITIES

As mentioned previously, I prefer rhat the standard voltage 31 of FIG. 2 be about 50% of peak audio voltage. This not only helps to reduce heating in the person 2 but also reduces spurious audio. This 50% is not vital and the useful range is 25% to 85% of peak audio.

The minimum burst repetition frequency (for example at time points 33 and 34) is preferably 1 KHz and the maximum repetition frequency is in the range of 25 KHz to 100 KHz, with the lower frequencies resulting in less heating.

The time duration of each individual pulse of microwave radiation is in the range of 10 nanoseconds to 1 microsecond as indicated in FIG. 5, with the shorter time periods resulting in less heating.

CONTROL OF POWER OUTPUT

As stated above, I maintain the power output of the parabolic antenna 22 within the present safe standard of 3.3 mw/cm2 (3.3 milliwatts per square centimeter). I control the power output by controlling the strengtn of the audio modulation. This results in a duty cycle of 0.005, the decimal measure of the time in any second that the transmitter is on full power. The peak power level can be between 500 mw and 5 w and at 0.005 duty cycle these peaks will result in an average power of 2.5 mw and 25 mw respectively. However, these values are further reduced by adjusting the audio modulation so that zero input produces a zero output. Since a voice signal, for example, is at maximum amplitude only a small fraction of the rime, the average power will be below the 3.3 mw/cm2 standard, even with 5 watts peak power.

THEORY OF OPERATION

I have not been able to experiment to determine how my microwave system works, but from my interpretation of prior work done in this field I believe that the process is as follows. Any group of bursts related to the audio ek 28 of FIG. 2 causes an increasing ultrasonic build up within the head of a human being starting with a low level for the first bursts pulses and building up to a high level with the last bursts pulses of a group. This buildup, I believe, causes the direct discharge of random brain neurons. These discharges at audio frequency create a perception of sound. This process, I believe, bypasses the normal hearing organs and can create sound in a person who is nerve-dead deaf. However, this theory of operation is only my guess and may prove to be in error in the future.

APPARATUS

The apparatus of FIG. 1 for carrying out my invention may include as a microwave generator Model PH40K of Applied Microwave Laboratories and described as Signal Source. The cable 21 connecting the microwave generator 19 and the antenna is RG8 coaxial cable by Belden Industries. The antenna 22 may be a standard parabolic antenna. The FM generator 12 has to be specially built to include the spacing runction which is obtained by a frequency generator built into a srandard FM generator.

I have described my invention witn respect to a presently preferred embodiment as required by the patent statutes. It will be apparent to those skilled in the technology that many variations, modification and additions can be made. All such variations, modifications and additions that come within the true spirit and scope of the invention are included in the claims.http://globalgulag.freesmfhosting.com/index.php?topic=1066.0
http://pseudoccultmedia.blogspot.com/2008/08/verdier-on-kennedy-assassinations.html
.

Brain Transmitters

 
What They Are and How They Are Used
Mediaeko Investigative Reporting Group
1996 Reprint
Radio Implants and Remote-Controlled Humans

Doctors in Sweden
began placing brain transmitters in the heads of anesthetized patients without the persons’ knowledge in about 1960. The insertion was conducted through the nostrils and took only a couple of minutes to perform.
          Implanted devices can remain in a person’s head for life. The energy to activate the implants is transmitted by way of radio waves. Professor José Delgado wrote about the technology in Physical Control of the Mind in 1969.
The Technology and Its Possibilities
          Brain transmitters have been thought to be impossible by the majority of people and have been relegated to science fiction. The fact is that scientists developed the technology into reality at least forty years ago.
          By means of two-way radio communication called telemetry, or remote control, one can send wavelengths round trip to a brain transmitter in a person’s head. The wavelengths flow through a person’s brain, then return to a computer where all aspects of a human being’s life are uncovered and analyzed.
          To allow brain waves, measured by electroencephalograph(EEG), to be analyzed by a computer instead of through a printout offers new possibilities of interpretation. The charting of mental thoughts, vision, hearing, feelings, and behavioral reactions can lead to an analysis of the foundation of personality. It allows one to study the psyche more completely. In addition, one can follow chemical reactions, observe patterns of neurons, or follow an illness or disease and analyze it at an earlier stage of development. All of the above and much more can be discovered with bio-medical telemetry.
          During the 1960s, brain transmitters as small as a half of a cigarette filter made it possible for doctors to implant them in patients easily and without surgery.
          Two-way radio communication throughout the world to the brain was possible by the late 1950s. This was done in many ways. For example, vocal messages could be sent by radio waves to receivers placed in the head, where a person with an attached transmitter could answer directly to a central location with his thoughts, by brain waves data (EEG) carried with radio signals.
          Distances were not a problem, since radio waves could travel globally at the speed of light.
“The X-ray shows a transmitter implanted in my brain.” — Implant victim.
          Liquid crystals which are injected directly into the bloodstream and fasten themselves to the brain have been developed in the last ten years. It works on the same principle as the usual transmitters and uses the same technology and contains the same possibilities.
How It Began - Experiments with the Brain
          As early as the 1920s, European scientists made discoveries which paved the way for future development of brain stimulation. The Swiss W. R. Hess could identify 4,000 different places in the brain’s hypothalamus, which are in direct contact to certain physical and mental reactions. By stimulating specific points in the brain by an electrical current, the stimulation of one point of the brain could bring about aggressive reactions, while the stimulation of another point could bring about calmness. Through electrical currents to the brain, Dr. Hess could change peoples’ personalities, bring about feelings of happiness or sadness, hunger or satisfaction, etc. All of this was achieved over seventy years ago.
To the Present and Victims for Life
          Brain transmitters, also called electrodes, stimoceivers, andendoradiosondes, can control the brain and transmit data. They can be used to influence people to conform to a political system. They can be applied to remotely monitor and control human beings to serve as agents. The technology exists and is being utilized. The devices usually remain in a person’s head for life.
          “Autonomic and somatic functions, individual and social behaviors, emotional and mental reactions may be evoked, maintained, modified, or inhibited, both in animals and in man, by electrical stimulation of specific cerebral structures. Physical control of many brain functions is a demonstrated fact. ... It is even possible to follow intentions, the development of thoughts, and visual experiences,” wrote Dr. José Delgado in the book Physical Control of the Mind in 1969. At that time Dr. Delgado was a Professor of Physiology at Yale University, where he developed techniques for electronically and chemically influencing the brain. He has published more than two hundred scientific works and is a well-known authority in neurology and behaviorism.
          In the preface to the book, it is written that Dr. Delgado, “... shows how, by electrical stimulation of specific cerebral structures, movements can be induced by radio command, hostility may appear or disappear, social hierarchy can be modified, sexual behavior may be changed, and memory, emotions and the thinking process may be influenced by remote control.”
          It is possible to change people, create illness, modify opinions, and dull or activate the senses by penetrating centers of the brain with radio waves. People then obey controllers instead of their own natural choices. Monitoring of individuals’ brain activity can instantly reveal all private experiences and observations of others.
“This is the second implanted transmitter; this device appeared under rather unusual circumstances on 10th March 1972, when I became tranquilized in the hotel where I was temporarily lodging. This implantation preceded a period of prolonged torture with personality-altering radio signals 10 - 20 hours a day and they started communicating directly with my brain. It was then I realized that they could discern my thoughts and, indeed, experience my entire range of cognitive activity. ... The picture was taken at Karolinska Hospital where all radiographers deny that any foreign object can be identified in this picture. However, there are a number of overseas physicians who testify the obvious fact, that several transmitters can be seen quite clearly.” — Robert Naeslund, INMC,Open letter, Stockholm, Sweden, May 1993, page 32.
          Dr. Robert G. Heath, of Tulane University, has implanted as many as 125 electrodes in a human being’s brain. In his experiments, he discovered that he could control his patients’ memories, sexual arousal, fear, pleasure, and cause hallucinations.
Overriding Proof Against the Hospitals
          “In response to your most recent letter regarding the roentgen films, I can only confirm that some foreign objects, most likely brain transmitters, have been implanted at the base of your frontal brain and in the skull,” wrote Professor Peter Aaron Lindstrom from California to one of his Swedish patients. The patient was a victim of an implantation of a brain transmitter over twenty-five years ago. Dr. Lindstrom, who taught at the University of California, San Diego, added, “There is no excuse for doctors to implant brain transmitters in people’s heads.”
          There is complete evidence that Södersjukhuset, Karolinska, Nacka, and Sundsvall hospitals, among others in Sweden, have implanted brain transmitters without the permission or knowledge of the patients for many decades.
Mental Patients Utilized
          Investigations at different mental hospitals in Sweden have shown that a great number of patients out of fifty interviewed, thought themselves to be victims of long-term medical experiments. A number of these patients were actually in need of mental care due to the experiments. There were also many at the hospitals who were forcibly placed there because they had declared that a transmitter had been implanted in their heads during an operation, or in conjunction with admittance to the mental hospital.
          Checks were made of all groups with electronic devices which confirmed that there were radio waves traveling from brain transmitters in many patients.
          Interviews with patients were done at Långbro Hospital, Beckomberga Hospital, as well as at Karolinska Hospital Psychiatric Clinic.
          The radio waves which pass through the brain are not necessarily registered by one who has a brain transmitter. Only when the effect is greatly increased, for example when experiments are performed, is it possible for the victim to detect them.
 “This is the third transmitter placed in my head and the first which was embedded in my brain. Without doubt it was implanted while being detained by the police in Stockholm 1973; this was my first period of custody and afterwards I underwent considerable personality modification, a process which had already begun in 1967 but accelerated rapidly towards criminality after the implantation of the second transmitter.” — Robert Naeslund, INMC, Open letter,Stockholm, Sweden, May 1993, page 32.
One of the letters from P.A. Lindstrom, M.D., to his patient that is an implants victim.
Electronic Measurements
          This picture shows the frequencies 18.5 - 18.7 kHz which were sent from a brain transmitter. The chart was created by a printer connected to a radio frequency analyzer computer during measurements from a transmitter in a person’s skull.
          While measuring other persons, the wavelengths were counted at similar values.
          Long wavelengths are commonly used since they work over vast distances at the speed of light, and the frequencies are often between 15 - 35 kHz.
          The radio waves are called “frequency shift” signals and can flow within a certain wavelength area. They do not occur in a decided frequency, but rather through a special modulation, the radio wavesidentity. The bandwidth was 150 Hz and the effect in all measurements was between 1 - 10 microvolts.
          Measurements were done with the following electronic devices:
          Hewlett & Packard Spectrum Analyzer 3585 A
          Roedre & Schwarts VLF-HF Receiver EK 070
          Marconi Spectrum Analyzer
          Dynamics SD 375 Spectrum Analyzer
          Nicolets Radio Frequency Analyzer Computer
Court Trials in Canada
were heard against a number of hospitals in Montreal in 1989. The hospitals were accused of carrying on long painful experiments with patients which began in the 1950s. One of Canada’s most honored doctors, Ewen Cameron, Head Doctor at Royal Victoria Hospital and Allen Memorial Institute, worked on assignments from the Secret Police that ordered experiments with, among other things, brain transmitters.
“Furthermore, it can be seen that electrodes placed in the occipital lobe are blocking the blood flow behind their delimitation where the oxygen depletion is caused and this is seen as well in his frontal brain just above the implanted transmitter. Among the changes caused by the frequencies affecting his brain, the reduced oxygen levels have induced an alteration of neurological functions, and impaired cognitive abilities including that of memory. Moreover he [Mr. N’Tumba] has obviously been anesthetized without his knowledge so that this implantation could be performed. ... The x-ray examination was performed at Brook Hospital Main, September 16, 1992.” — INMC, Letter to British Prime Minister John Major, Stockholm, Sweden, October 9, 1992.
“... a meeting between Mr. John Austin-Walker, Member of Parliament, and a victim of mind control, impressed on him the importance of pursuing investigations into the matter ...” — INMC,Letter to British Prime Minister John Major, Stockholm, Sweden, October 9, 1992, page 1.
Many Others Cry for Help
          Doctors at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) office in Copenhagen say that many Swedes write to them, stating that they have been exploited for hospital experiments. Many say that devices must have been implanted in their heads.
          The United Nations’ information office in Copenhagen also says that upset residents of Sweden have contacted them and have sought help as victims of hospital experiments.
          Amnesty International in Stockholm and Copenhagen tell a similar story, as well as the Citizens’ Rights Movement, representatives of the Green Party of Sweden, and a number of female members of the Swedish Parliament.
          Those who contact the National Swedish Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) about this issue are sent to Department Ptp (formerly HS4 and SN3). Then they are informed that they are psychologically ill and that they run the risk of being admitted to a mental hospital if they continue to talk about a device in their heads. Additionally, they are told that brain transmitters do not exist.
Swedish Board of Health and Welfare
          The person Dr. Lindstrom later helped had by 1977 written to authorities in Sweden and explained to them to what he had been subjected. Among those he wrote to was the General Director of the Board of Health and Welfare.
Declared Mentally Ill
          Dr. Annmari Jonson at the Board of Health and Welfare referred to the letter a year later when she explained, “He intensely maintains everything which he had written to the Board of Health and Welfare. He exhibits, in this way, obvious misconceptions and points clearly to the need for psychiatric examination.”
          The examination was conducted in 1978 by Dr. Janos Jez, who wrote:
          “He says that he is convinced that a device was applied in his head during an operation at Södersjukhuset. He ought to be considered dangerous if this pattern of misconceptions cannot be erased; and if he then begins to doubt his ideas and thereafter begins to have insight into his illness. He should therefore be committed to an asylum.”
          Five years later Dr. Lindstrom wrote, “... I can only confirm that some foreign objects, most likely brain transmitters, have been implanted at the base of your frontal brain and in the skull. ... I fully agree with Lincoln Lawrence who in his book on page 27 wrote; ‘There are two particularly dreadful procedures which have been developed. Those working and playing with them secretly call them R.H.I.C. and E.D.O.M. — Radio-Hypnotic Intra-cerebral Control and Electronic Dissolution of Memory ...’”
          The patient wrote to both the doctors and the Board of Health and Welfare’s General Director, Barbro Westerholm, and included a copy of Dr. Lindstrom’s declaration. However, none of them desired to answer, which indicates both the Board of Health and Welfare’s attitude towards the issue, and even the doctors’ guilt.
What Brain Transmitters Look Like
          The above photographs are of brain transmitters. The above one on the left is an enlargement taken from an X-ray. The above picture on the right was taken at an operation to remove the implant.
          The above one on the right shows the shape of the most usual type of brain transmitter. It looks like a bullet and is put into place through the nose. This device was inserted during an operation at Södersjukhuset in Stockholm by Dr. Curt Strand at the end of the 1960s, without the knowledge or consent of the patient. It was placed just underneath the brain. This implant is the same shape on both sides and its actual length is 16 millimeters (mm) or .62 inch, with a width of 7 mm (.27 inch).
          The above picture to the left shows a brain transmitter which has the shape of a mushroom. It was implanted through a surgical opening in the forehead. Its actual size is 7 mm (.27 inch) across the head, while the stem is 4 mm (.16 inch).
          Most implant victims are unaware of the devices because they were sedated during the procedures. Then they are amnesic, monitored, and controlled. However there are some disclosures.
“This is the fourth transmitter in my head and it was inserted in connection with an appearance at Nacka Police Station, just outside Stockholm, on 26th November 1975, ostensibly for interrogation. I was locked up in a cell, but after a short while I fell into a deep sleep from which I emerged to an entirely new life. It is during these hours when the transmitter was implanted, and when, I awoke I had a searing high frequency signal at about 100 db in my skull. This was to plague me for about 16 hours a day for the past eight years and completely transform my life. It depressed the functional capacity of my right cerebral hemisphere and altered my personality, behavior, and abilities as if they no longer were part of myself.” — Robert Naeslund, INMC, Open letter, Stockholm, Sweden, May 1993, page 32.
Doctors Warn
          Dr. Robert J. Grimm of the Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Oregon, stated in March 1974 at a doctor’s symposium in California, that he viewed brain control and influencing the brain with radio waves was of similar importance as to the debate concerning the detonation of the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima. He also asked, “Do scientists have the right to pursue projects potentially destructive of human life, and in this era, destructive of the individual?”
And Protest to the Swedish Government
          The chairman of an internationally influential scientific organization in Canada, Dr. Andrew Michrowski, wrote in 1985 to the Swedish government and sought an answer about Sweden’s obvious encroachment of human rights. He saw clear evidence that Swedish doctors implanted brain transmitters in patients, and referred to the Declaration of Human Rights signed by Sweden.
          The Swedish government did not reply.
“This X-ray shows three transmitters in the frontal lobes. All of these were implanted on different occasions by the Swedish police. The detainee had been put to sleep unaware, as usual, at the police remand center in Stockholm. A doctor writes in his statement concerning this X-ray:
‘...Later I received your additional skull film which clearly demonstrated some implanted transmitters, one inside the brain and two probably just underneath the brain.’
The upper arrow indicates the object lodged completely within the brain. All these transmitters were inserted through the nostrils and implanted into the frontal lobes in the vicinity of the upper opening of the nasal passage.” — Lennart Lindquist, Evamarie Taylor, and Robert Naeslund, Cybergods, Stockholm: Gruppen, 1996, page 11.
Another medical opinion about X-rays, “... taken at Karolinska Hospital where all radiographers deny that any foreign object can be identified.” — INMC, Open letter, Stockholm, Sweden, May 1993, page 32.
FOA Educates Doctors
          Since the 1960s, the Swedish Defense Research Institution (FOA) has educated hospital doctors, mostly surgeons and psychiatrists, regarding brain transmitters and bio-medical telemetry.
          One of the books which was used twenty-five years ago at FOA’s Department 3 in education had the title Bio-Medical Telemetry (1968), written by Dr. Stuart Mackay. Dr. Mackay wrote in the introduction that, “The purpose of this book is to introduce a wide segment of the scientific community to the rapidly developing field of bio-medical telemetry. It presents to physicians, engineers, and scientists information about the possibilities of different telemetric methods. It gives biologists a background in electronics to enable them to choose equipment.”
          The former head of FOA, Lars-Erik Tammelin, and the following director, Bo Rydbeck, are medical doctors with advanced knowledge in biology.
          When Bo Rydbeck became head of the FOA in 1985, he said in an interview in the newspaper Dagens Nyheter that, “Among the current assignments, more intensive effort will be put into information technology.” Which includes both telemetry and brain transmitters as essential parts.
          Dr. Mackay continued in his introduction, “Among the many telemetry instruments being used today [1968] are miniature radio transmitters that can be swallowed, carried externally, or surgically implanted in man or animals. Recent developments include pressure transmitters small enough to be placed in the eye, ultrasonic and radio units for free-swimming dolphins, units for tracking wild animals, and pill-sized transmitters of many designs and functions that can operate continuously for several years. The scope of observations that can be made is too broad to more than hint at with a few examples. ... The possibilities are limited only by the imagination of the investigator.”
          Dr. Stuart Mackay has worked as a Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and at many foreign universities. His main fields are Medicine and Biology.
Computers and the Brain
          “Dr. Delgado is optimistic that with the increasing sophistication and miniaturization of electronics, it may be possible to compress the necessary circuitry for a small computer into a chip that is implantable subcutaneously. In this way, the new self-contained instrument could be devised; capable of receiving, analyzing and sending back information to the brain, establishing artificial links between unrelated cerebral areas, functional feedbacks, and programs of stimulations contingent on the appearance of predetermined wave patterns,” wrote Samuel Chavkin in The Mind Stealers (1978), a book about psychosurgery and mind control.
          Samuel Chavkin was the founder and chief editor of the Science and Medicine Publishing Company, which publishes periodicals concentrating on medical topics.
          In the preface to the book it is stated that, “Telemetry for the surveillance of every citizen is on the drawing boards. Chavkin’s prediction that mind-control techniques could become standard equipment of governments, prisons, and police departments is backed by forceful documentation.”
          Bio-telemetry systems that remotely “mind read” and “mind control” have existed for decades. Brain transmitters measure EEG and transmit data to computers that instantly translate it into words. Implants also deliver electric shocks that control a brain and behaviors. The devices are now less than 1 mm (.04 inch) in diameter.
          Dr. Delgado conducted experiments in the early 1960s that placed an electrode on the eardrum (middle ear) of a cat. The device picked-up people’s conversations and transmitted them to a receiver for listening. According to Victor Marchetti, co-author of The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence (1974), the CIA attached a tiny radio implant to a cat’s cochlea (inner ear) for surveillance purposes.
          A few years after Delgado’s implanted “bug” experiments, Dr. Ralph Schwitzgebel developed a miniature radio receiver so that a therapist could communicate with his subject.
          Very small combination microphone-transceiver-speakers are implanted in unsuspecting people’s ears. The instruments transmit nearby conversations and deliver audio commands to individuals that are usually unaware of the voices.
“X-ray photograph taken the day following the operation [August 12, 1987, St. Carolus Hospital, Ji Salemba, Djakarta], the 1/2 cm [.20 inch] deep area of branded cortex can be identified, as can the implanted transmitter.” — INMC, Open letter, Stockholm, Sweden, May 1993, page 15.
Report for an x-ray examination conducted over three and a half years after an August 12, 1987 brain implant victimization.
In 1985
an advertisement placed by the Swedish Citizens’ Rights Movement in over thirty daily and weekly publications stated that doctors in larger hospitals in Sweden inserted brain transmitters in anesthetized patients during operations. At the same time, a letter signed by fifty people was sent to the Attorney General.
The Attorney General Questioned
          Those who had signed the letter had read through material which showed that the reality of brain transmitters is a fact. The signers demanded an answer from the Attorney General on whether the implantation of brain transmitters is a crime or not. Those who signed the letter were representatives from different human rights groups, the Swedish Peace Movement, professors from, for example, the Royal School of Technology, lawyers, and others.
The State Says Yes to Brain Transmitters
          The Attorney General did not reply to the letter. Instead, he sent it to the Attorney District (Överåklagaren), who said that this issue should not be considered a crime. Decision from May 15, 1985,Överåklagaren Register number AD II 76-85.
          However, of course it is one of the harshest crimes which the state can commit; to deny the right of the individual to his or her own brain, and to inner peace without the interference of government authorities. Since Sweden signed the Human Rights Act, it must follow the act’s assumptions. In any case, it means that a new relationship has been created between the state and the people of the country.
          “There are similar signs, here and now, like in Germany during the 1930s, where the country’s leading doctors and politicians see individuals as objects of experimentation where their brains and behaviors are changed,” wrote Samuel Chavkin about the United States in 1978. The same can be said about Sweden, the same ideas exist here. Mind-control technology has changed since the 1970s and has been developed even further.
X-ray of a person with two types of brain implants and an object in the jaw.
This material is for publication.
If you are interested as a journalist, or would like more information, please write to us.
Investigation and reporting done by:
          Mediaeko
          Investigative Reporting Group
          Box 136
          S-114 21 Stockholm, Sweden
Brain Transmitters: What They Are and How They Are Used,
Mediaeko, Investigative Reporting Group, 1996 Reprint.*
*Adapted, revised, and reprinted from:
Brain Transmitters: What They Are and How They Are Used,
Mediaeko, Investigative Reporting Group, 1992.
Compiled extensively from Mediaeko, Mediaecco, and International Network against Mind Control’s (INMC) material.
Literature
The three books marked with a Y (psi) describe Dr. Ewen Cameron’s exploitation of patients in long-lasting painful medical and psychological experiments, and his participation in the development of different mind-control methods. He was one of the world’s most highly regarded physicians, and was at different times president of the American Psychiatric Association, the Canadian Psychiatric Association, the American Psychopathological Association, the Society of Biological Psychiatry, and the World Psychiatric Association.
Battle for the Mind: A Physiology of Conversion and Brainwashing.William Sargant. Ashford: The Invicta Press, 1984.
Bio-Medical Telemetry. Stuart Mackay, M.D. New York: Wiley, 1968.
The Body Electric. Robert Becker, M.D. and Gary Seldon. New York: William Morrow Co., 1985.
The Brain Changers: Scientists and the New Mind Control. Maya Pines. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973.
Brain Control: A Critical Examination of Brain Stimulation and Psychosurgery. Elliot S. Valenstein. New York: Wiley, 1973.
“Brainwash Experiments Still Enrage Victim’s Son.” Jacqueline Cutler. San Jose Mercury News, October 9, 1988.
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The Breaking of Bodies and Minds: Torture, Psychiatric Abuse and The Health Professions. Eric Stover and Elena Nightingale, M.D., Ph.D. New York: Freeman & Co., 1985.
Breaking the Circle of Satanic Ritual Abuse. Daniel Ryder. Minneapolis, Minnesota: CompCare Publishers, 1992.
“Canada Settles with Brainwash Victims.” Robert Davis. Gannett News Service, November 19, 1992.
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“Cold War Guinea Pigs: The Government’s Secret Experiments using Radiation, Mind Control, Chemicals and Drugs on its Citizens.” Stephen Budiansky, Erica E. Goode, and Ted Gest. U.S. News & World Report, January 24, 1994.
The Controllers. Martin Cannon. Aptos, California: Davis Books, 1990.
Depth-Electrographic Stimulation of the Human Brain and Behavior: From Fourteen Years of Studies and Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and Mental Disorders with Implanted Electrodes. C.W. Sem-Jacobsen. Springfield, Illinois: Thomas Publishers, 1968.
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Electrical Stimulation of Brain. S. Cobb. Texas Press, 1961.
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Y A Father, a Son and the CIA. Harvey Weinstein, M.D. Toronto: Lorimer & Co., 1988.
“Human Guinea Pigs are American as Apple Pie.” Samuel Chavkin, author of The Mind Stealers: Psychosurgery and Mind Control(1978). New York Times, Letters to Editor, January 11, 1994.
The Human Guinea Pigs. John McGuffin. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1974.
Implantable Biotelemetry Systems: a Report. Thomas B. Fryer. Ames Research Center, NASA, 1970.
Y In the Sleep Room. Anne Collins. 1988.
“Instrumentation, Working Hypotheses, and Clinical Aspects of Neurostimulation.” J.M.R. Delgado. Applied-Neurophysiology, 1977-78, 40(2-4): 88-110.
“Intracerebral Radio Stimulation and Recording in Completely Free Patients.” J.M.R. Delgado, V. Mark, W. Sweet, F. Ervin, G. Weiss, G. Bach-y-Rita, and R. Hagiwara. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 1968, 147.
Y Journey into Madness: the True Story of Secret CIA Mind Control and Medical Abuse. Gordon Thomas. Bantam Books, New York, 1989.
“Magnetic Implants Aid Hearing.” Popular Science, November, 1994.
The Manchurian Candidate. Richard Condon. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1958.
“A Method for the Remote Control of Electrical Stimulation of the Nervous System.” E.L. Chaffee and R.U. Light. Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine, 1934, 7.
Microwave Harassment & Mind-Control Experimentation. Julianne McKinney. Silver Spring, Maryland: Association of National Security Alumni, 1992.
Mind-Control Manuscript and Open Letter. Mediaecco. Stockholm, Sweden: International Network against Mind Control (INMC), May, 1993.
“Mind Control: the Top Secret Weapons of the Future Are Here.”Larry Collins. Playboy, January, 1990.
The Mind Manipulators: a Non-fiction Account. Alan Scheflin and Edward Opton. New York: Paddington Press, 1978.
The Mind Possessed. William Sargant. Ashford: The Invicta Press, 1984.
The Mind Stealers: Psychosurgery and Mind Control. Samuel Chavkin. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1978.
The Mind-Control Papers. Los Angeles: Editors of Freedom, 1980.
“Multichannel Transdermal Stimulation of the Brain.” J.M.R. Delgado. Technical Documentary Report No. ARL-TR-70-1, New Mexico: Holloman Air Force Base, 1970.
The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide.Robert Lifton. New York: Basic Books, 1986.
“On Hearing by Electrical Stimulation.” S. Stevens. Journal of Acoust. Soc. Am., 1937, 8.
Operation Mind Control. Walter H. Bowart. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1978.
Operation Mind Control 2. Walter H. Bowart. Tucson, Arizona: Freedom of Thought Foundation, 1994.
The People Shapers. Vance Packard. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977.
“A Perfusion Cannula for Intracerebral Microinjections.” R.G. Heath and W.L. Founds. EEG Clinical Neurophysiology, 1960, 12.
“Permanent Implantation of Multilead Electrodes in the Brain.” J.M.R. Delgado. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 1952, 24.
“Persistent EEG Patterns Associated with Overt and Covert Speech.” Lawrence R. Pinneo. Neurophysiology Program. Menlo Park, California: Stanford Research Institute, 1975.
Physical Control of the Mind. José M.R. Delgado, M.D. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1969.
“Pressure-sensitive Telemetering Capsule for the Study of Gastrointestinal Motility.” J.T. Farrar, V.K. Zworykin, and J. Baum.Science, 1957, 126, November.
Psychiatry and the CIA: Victims of Mind Control. Harvey Weinstein, M.D. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press, 1990.
Psychotechnology: Electronic Control of Mind and Behavior.Robert L. Schwitzgebel and Ralph K. Schwitzgebel (Editors). New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1973.
“Radio Telemetry from Within the Body.” R.S. Mackay. Science,1961, 134.
“A Remote Control Brain Telestimulator System.” H. Warner.Digest: 15th Annual Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology, November, 1962.
Ritual Abuse: Definitions, Glossary, the Use of Mind Control. Ritual Abuse Task Force. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Commission for Women, 1991. L.A.C.C.W., 383 Hall of Administration, 500 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 U.S.A.
“Sci-Fact—Not Fiction: High-Tech Slavery is Here.” Maitefa Angaza.The City Sun, Brooklyn, New York, December 15-21, 1993.
The Search for the “Manchurian Candidate”: The CIA and Mind Control. John Marks. New York: Time Books, 1979.
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Such Things are Known. Dorothy Burdick. New York: Vantage Press, 1982.
“A Technique for Chronic Remote Nerve Stimulation.” M.M. Lafferty and J.F. Farrell. Science, 1949, 110.
“Technique of Intracranial Electrode Emplacement for Recording and Stimulation and its Possible Therapeutic Value in Psychotic Patients.” J.M.R. Delgado, H. Hamlin, and W.P. Chapman. Confinia Neurologica, 1952, 12.
“Telemetry and Telestimulation of the Brain.” J.M.R. Delgado. In:Biotelemetry. L. Slater, (Ed.). New York: Pergamon, 1963.
“Two-way Radio Communication with the Brain in Psychosurgical Patients.” J.M.R. Delgado, S. Obrador, and J.G. Martin-Rodriquez. In: Surgical Approaches in Psychiatry. L.V. Laitinen and Livingston, (Editors). Lancaster, England: Medical and Technical Publishing, 1973.
“U.S. Explores Russian Mind-Control Technology.” Barbara Opall.Defense News, January 11-17, 1993.
The Unquiet Mind. William Sargant. Ashford: The Invicta Press, 1984.
War on the Mind, the Military Uses and Abuses of Psychology.Peter Watson. New York: Basic Books, 1978.
Were We Controlled?. Lincoln Lawrence. New York: University Books, 1967.
You Must Be Dreaming. Barbara Noel. New York: Poseidon Press, 1992.

The technology was developed in the United States in the CIA projects called “ARTICHOKE,” “BLUEBIRD,” “MKDELTA,” and “MKULTRA.” The area has at different times been called ESB (Electronic Stimulation of the Brain), Brain-Computer Technology, Biological Radio-Communication, RHIC (Radio Hypnotic Intra-cerebral Control), and EDOM (Electronic Dissolution of Memory), among others. All of these are pseudonyms for Bio-medical telemetry, which is the prevailing technique used for mind control in the eastern and western worlds.
Electroencephalograph (EEG) Telemetry System consists of transmitters, receivers, and other components used for remotely monitoring or measuring EEG signals by means of radio or telephone transmission systems (In the U.S.A. see Food and Drug Administration, Medical Devices: Classification of Neurological Devices).
“Biotelemetry, which was developed to monitor the temperature, brain-wave activity, breathing rate, and heartbeat ... Biosensors attached to the body send data by wire or radio. This information may be displayed on oscilloscopes for doctors to analyze. It can also be fed into a computer that ‘watches’ the patient ... Some biosensors, called endoradiosondes, can be implanted in the body. The tiny batteries that power them can be recharged by radio waves.” —Compton’s Encyclopedia, Electronic Edition, 1995.
“... the American multinational company ..., which blends radio transmitting material into its liquid cortisone preparation ... [and] it is effective in whatever part of the body the injection is made. It is highly likely that ... [it] is not unique in this way — other medical products are suspect, ...” — International Network against Mind Control(INMC), Open letter, Stockholm, Sweden, May 1993, page 38.
“Dr. Antoine Remond, using our techniques in Paris, has demonstrated that this method of stimulation of the brain can be applied to the human without the help of the neurosurgeon; he is doing it in his office in Paris without neurosurgical supervision. This means that anybody with the proper apparatus can carry this out on a person covertly, with no external signs that electrodes have been used on that person. I feel that if this technique got into the hands of a secret agency, they would have total control over a human being and be able to change his beliefs extremely quickly, leaving little evidence of what they had done.” — John C. Lilly, M.D., 1953: The Scientist, John C. Lilly, M.D., Berkeley: Ronin Publishing, 1988, page 91. In The Controllers, Martin Cannon, Aptos, CA: Davis Books, 1990, pages 13-14.
Instrumentation developed includes: “brain radio stimulators, ... and an optoelectric sensor for telemetry ... combining multichannel stimulator and EEG telemetric instrument; transdermal stimoceivers, totally implantable for two-way communication with the brain through the intact skin; and implantable microprocessor for detection of EEG signals which are used to trigger contingent brain stimulation. ... and establishment of artificial neuronal links with the aide of the computer.” — J.M.R. Delgado, M.D., “Instrumentation, Working Hypotheses, and Clinical Aspects of Neurostimulation,”Applied-Neurophysiology, 1977-78; 40(2-4): pages 88-110.
“Who is wasting tax money on experiments using devices smaller than needle points that are injected into people’s bodies without consent? These people are then given shocks for ‘improper behavior.’ Radio frequencies are set aside by government for such experiments. ... It is illegal. If the scope of this program and its CLASSIFIED nature does not scare you, think again.” — Citizens for Open and Honest Treatment of the Handicapped, Announcements, 1993.
“Early workers in this field used a low-radio frequency, typically 300 to 1500 kHz, ... Since 1960, transistors for operation at 100 MHz have been available, ... implanted systems work very well in the region of 100 MHz. ... placement of a self-contained transmitter totally within the tissue represents a somewhat different situation. The tissue absorbs energy, but it also appears to compensate for this loss by reradiation of energy and effective increase in the size of the transmitting antenna.” — Thomas B. Fryer, Implantable Biotelemetry Systems: a Report, Ames Research Center, NASA, 1970, page 65.
“Just what happened to Mr. N’Tumba, he describes himself in a letter to us:
      ‘Concerning the brain transmitter in my head, it has been performing without my knowledge or consent ... What’s very outrageous is that I am sharing all my vision, thoughts, images, hearings ... etc. with people around me as the security services are engaging in a large scale propaganda drive to smear my character, background, behavior, emotions and motives ... I have no privacy at all ... I am not a spy, I am not a criminal, I am not a terrorist. Being an innocent victim of MI5 ... my persecution started in June 1988.’
      What is more, there is no reason to suspect the validity of what he writes; we are overburdened with letters such as this one from the USA, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, New Zealand and our investigations in Sweden reveal a terrifying reality where the mental health services, police authorities and hospitals implant radio-transmitting devices in people’s heads and brains.
      This reality is exposed by a vast amount of X-ray material to be a chilling and gloomy vision of the future, stage-managed for decades by the security forces in collaboration with medical and psychiatric institutions who together have created a secret power which transcends law and order and which is beyond intrusive public control.” — INMC, Letter to British Prime Minister John Major, Stockholm, Sweden, October 9, 1992, page 2.
“If the stimulation Delgado plans to administer is electric, the shaft is an exceedingly thin steel-wire electrode coated with insulation except at the tip. Dozens of such needlelike wires may be inserted from one opening and can be attached to the same socket on top of the skull, or eventually inside it. ...
      Delgado has pioneered in the remote control of electrical stimulation. He began shaping the behavior of subjects while he was in a nearby room manning a push-button radio device. Now he can do this from thousands of feet away.
      At first the sockets he was using to receive radio messages were outside the scalp. Now the equipment, built under a microscope, is the size of a coin and can be planted under the scalp and so is unnoticeable in a free-moving subject. Also, the device not only receives instructions but broadcasts back the subject’s reactions. Delgado calls it a transdermal stimoceiver.
      A very recent refinement, still being perfected, is for the information being received back from inside the brain to go to a tiny computer. This computer is being programmed to recognize abnormal brain-wave activity. ...
      With humans he and his associates have stimulated several areas involved in motor activity. ... He caused one woman patient in his group, when she was alone in her own room, to turn her head and move her body as if she were looking for something. This was repeated. When she was asked what she was doing, the woman always had a plausible explanation. Apparently, she had no idea she was responding to the electrical stimulation of her brain. ...
      Lawrence R. Pinneo, a ... neurophysiologist ... at the Stanford Research Institute, ... has proved that you can think into a computer, and that the instructions you think can cause the computer to activate and move remote-control cameras and other machines. In short, the machines obey your mental instructions.
      Pinneo started with the motor theory of thought. This holds that verbal thinking is nothing more than subvocal speech. With a number of subjects he attached electrodes to the area of the scalp near the region where speech originates. On command they were to think of a word, such as ‘schoolboy’ or ‘start’ or ‘left.’ They were to repeat the word in their minds ten times. All this thinking of words was being registered by a computer. It averaged out a recognition pattern for each word. He proceeded to build up a vocabulary of fifteen unspoken English words that the computer could recognize. He trained the computer to recognize actually spoken words (overt speech) as well as think words (covert speech). They came out much alike in the word patterns that the computer stored away. ...
      In his preliminary report Pinneo stated: ‘We conclude that it is feasible for a human verbally to communicate both overtly and covertly with a computer using biological information [EEG] alone, with a high degree of accuracy and reliability, at least with a small vocabulary.’ ...
      This is interesting as an exercise in scientific versatility. But what would the practical applications be, assuming that 100 percent accuracy is achieved with a much larger vocabulary of words that were only thought, not spoken? …
      Perhaps the best practical use would be in surreptitious situations.” —Vance Packard, The People Shapers, Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977, pages 42-43, 55, 285-286.
“An essential part of bio-telemetry encompasses the transmission of data. This occurs mostly with help from a surgically implanted transmitter. ... The technology has been developed quite extensively in medical research.” — P.M. Persson, Swedish Defense Research Institution, FOA, 1965.
Publishers Weekly’s review of The Mind Stealers, by Samuel Chavkin.
“... The situation just described is not our first encounter with the apparent use of medical implant devices in these harassment/mind-control cases. Another of our contacts began receiving auditory input roughly 15 years after she had 4 mm. cochlear implants placed in her ears. The ‘voices’ claim to be affiliated with the CIA and, among other things, expressed intentions of running this woman as an agent in denied areas by ‘piggybacking’ their audio transmissions onto standard FM frequencies to avoid detection. ...
      [Another] individual ... also appears to have been ‘tagged’ by some type of implant device. ... During this meeting, she accepted the offer of a drink, blacked out after consuming it, and awoke four hours later, ... to find that the back of her ear had been punctured and was bleeding. ... She has since found two adjacent puncture marks behind her ear, which are not healing properly, and between which she can feel the presence of a ‘wire’ measuring approximately 1/4" length. ...
      In yet another case involving auditory input, the individual has allegedly been informed by her ‘voices’ that the technologies being used against her were stolen from the CIA by a maverick employee, whose group is now targeting her from a distance of 2,000 miles. ...
      One unusually-candid CIA spokesman also allegedly informed this individual that, ‘while the CIA does not deny having this equipment,’ they ‘do not use it in this country.’” — Julianne McKinney, Microwave Harassment & Mind-Control Experimentation, Silver Spring, MD: Association of National Security Alumni, 1992, pages 15-16.
“ESB, however, used in conjunction with psycho-surgery and behavior modification, offered unlimited possibilities. After experiments on laboratory animals met with success, human experimentation was enthusiastically undertaken in quest of the most reliable and absolute method of remote control of the mind. ...
      And, in 1974, the first victim of Parkinson’s disease treated by ESB walked gracefully out of a San Francisco hospital under his own power, thanks to portable ESB. He had a ‘stimoceiver’ implanted in his brain ... The ‘stimoceiver’ which weighed only a few grams and was small enough to implant under his scalp, permitted both remote stimulation of his brain and the instantaneous telemetric recording of his brain waves. ...
      In 1975 a primitive ‘mind reading machine’ was tested at the Stanford Research Institute. The machine is a computer which can recognize a limited amount of words by monitoring a person’s silent thoughts. This technique relies upon the discovery that brain wave tracings taken with an electroencephalograph (EEG) show distinctive patterns that correlate with individual words—whether the words are spoken aloud or merely subvocalized (thought of). ...
      While Dr. Reed conceded that it was ‘conceivable that thoughts could be injected’ into a person’s mind by the government, he indicated that he did not believe it had already been done. ...
      Typically, the scientists have not been vigilant enough, for the cryptocracy already has developed remote-controlled men who can be used for political assassination and other dangerous work, ...
      In 1967 a writer named Lincoln Lawrence published a book ... [Were We Controlled? presented] a sophisticated technique known as RHIC—EDOM ... Radio Hypnotic Intra-Cerebral Control—Electronic Dissolution of Memory. ...
      ‘Under RHIC, a “sleeper” can be used years later with no realization that the “sleeper” is even being controlled! He can be made to perform acts that he will have no memory of ever having carried out. In a manipulated kind of kamikaze operation where the life of the “sleeper” is dispensable, RHIC processing makes him particularly valuable because if he is detected and caught before he performs the act specified . . . nothing he says will implicate the group or government which processed and controlled him.’” — Walter Bowart, Operation Mind Control, New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1978, pages 253, 256-262.http://www.think-aboutit.com/News/BrainTransmitters.htm
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http://secretarcana.com/hiddenknowledge/monarch-programming-mind-control/
http://www.sikharchives.com/?p=4266
http://threshingfloor-radio.com/blog/index.php/2011/01/tuscon-shooter-and-the-randomness-effect/
http://appliedcognitivescience.net/Brain%20Wave%20Synchronization.html
http://altered-states.net/barry/newsletter156/index.htm
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http://neurodojo.blogspot.com/2011/03/honey-are-you-awake-and-alpha-waves.html
http://creatingreciprocity.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/interesting-discoveries-about-the-brain-8/
http://rexcurry.net/pledge_of_allegiance_videos_images.html
http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Mengele
http://www.phinnweb.org/neuro/brainwash/
http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/brainwashing.html
http://www.normalbreathing.com/f/avoid-brainwashing.php
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2010/sep/21/brainwave-crime-criminals
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1841108,00.html
http://kolber.typepad.com/ethics_law_blog/2010/07/index.html