Brain Implanted Technology: Revolution in Biology
Ever since the
sci-fi novels and movies have been a source of inspiration and has been
encouraging scientists and engineers to break the barriers of conventional
thinking and go beyond what the world could comprehend. The concept of Bionic
humans has been a dream of many scientists and biologists. It can be seen as
opportunity for the human race to be free from any diseases, exploiting brain
to its maximum capacity and even dodging death. Well, this is all a long shot but
slowly we are paving our way to achieve what seems impossible. Read on to know
how.
Rats have been
the primary subject of study and in an experiment wherein a blind rat was
implanted with a digital magnetic compass. The vision being an essential sense for any
animal without which it is very difficult to know in which surrounding our body
lies. Therefore, blind people have a tough time in learning their way around in
new surroundings.
During the experiment,
the team of neuroscientists and pharmacologists tried to explore the
capabilities of geomagnetic signal in replacing the normal vision of eye. The
eyes of few rats were sutured shut and used microelectrodes to plug in tiny
digital compasses into the brains of the rats in order to control their visual
cortices. The electrodes were used to electrical pulses to the rat’s neurons
whenever their body was aligned with North-South direction.
In the T shaped
maze the rats were set loose in the longer branch and the tasty treat was
placed in the branch that faced east. So depending on the orientation of the
maze the rats may have to turn left or right. Sighted rats could use the
markers in the surroundings and were right most of the times. Whereas the
implanted blind rats were able to be perfect by practise as compared to the
blind rats which could only get lucky by chance.
After the T
shaped maze the researchers tested the rats in an even more complex rats and
the test results were favourable. Even when the signals of the digital
compasses were turned off the rats were able to find their way around the
complex maze. Researchers conclude that the magnetic compass helped them form a
mental map of the maze.
Similar neuro prostheses could
one day help blind humans to navigate the world as well. Even the senses of
sighted people could be expanded giving humans the ability to see the whole
spectrum of light.
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