Which functional specifications are most important in an audio interface?

Are scientists working on ways to interface a computer with a human brain?

• If a computer could interface directly with a human brain, that would be an amazing advancement. If the computer could pipe in sights, sounds, even smells and feelings, we could have the ultimate in virtual reality games. We would also have superb learning tools. For example, to learn anatomy, you could literally look inside the human body at different magnification levels via a computer simulation. You could design buildings literally by thinking of them within a CAD simulation system where you think your specifications and the building virtually assembles itself in front of you and then you save the plan to the hard drive. Cops and fire fighters could receive extremely realistic virtual training, as could doctors. I'm wondering if anyone is working on such a computer/human interface.

• Answer:

  From the computer engineering perspective, there is work in this direction to provide more mobility for the disabled (differently enabled?) From the neurobiology perspective, they have been mapping the brain and know approximately where to stimulate to generate different sensations. From the controls and remote sensing perspective, there is work at creating smaller and more accurate sensors for different kinds of stimuli -- with much of the data going directly to a data storage system and subsequently post-processed into a 2d video image. From an ethics perspective, there is great doubt associated with the direction you propose. While it may have its utility within the limited context you provided, the potential for misuse/abuse is extremely high -- consider for example a computer that could beam what you're proposing directly into the brain to wirelessly create an "immersive experience". Now consider what your life would be like if corporate advertising executive got ahold of that techology. yikes.