A coalition of scientists, with government funding starting at $100 million in 2014, will map brain circuitry in action.
Posted 04.02.2013 at 12:00 pm
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Neurons
Patrick Hoesly on Flickr
We've been expecting this announcement since February, and today it looks like it's happening: President Obama has announced an ambitious plan to map the circuitry of the human brain. Kicking off with $100 million in 2014, a coalition of scientists will research ways to improve brain-related tech and sketch the interactions of brain cells.
A senior administration scientist told the New York Times that it's similar to the Human Genome Project, but the goals might be a little more nebulous: there's no specific endpoint, but with a map of the brain, scientists could better understand diseases of the brain and, maybe, find treatments.
But first they have to develop the technology to make it happen. The NIH will be working out the details--like goals and budgets--for the project. DARPA and the National Science Foundation will be involved with the project, too, while university scientists are also working on the initiative, called Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies, or just Brain.
In an online chat about the project, DARPA Head Arati Prabhakar explained that the military tech wing wanted in on the project to explore potential treatments for soldiers suffering psychological damage after returning from service.
NIH Director Francis Collins, meanwhile, assuaged fears that the project might cause "brain drain" by diverting money away from other projects. Collins said the project would only be funded by a small fraction of the NIH's funding, along with donations and investments from other institutes.
Collins also drove home comparisons to the Human Genome Project. Like that initiative, the data retrieved from the project, after being thoroughly tested, will become immediately available on the internet for other scientists to use. Also similarly, an ethics panel has been appointed that will work to determine the implications of the research.
The Times reports on both the enthusiasm and skepticism behind the project. On the one hand: Great! A nationally funded science project exploring an important topic we still don't completely understand. On the other hand: Should we be trying to make this happen before we have the technology to do it?
This is a long-term project, so we'll have to wait a while still to see who was right, and what discoveries come out of it.
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yup, govt should concentrate on essencial breakthroughs and leave the semi-paved way to general public (aka private industries) and yes im refering to space ^^
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No facts, No response...
After this scientific study comes to a conclusion, men will still be mystified and in wonder to the inner workings of the mind of woman, lol.
I'm pretty sure they have posted this article before...
You know PopSci just did an article on fake photos from Iran and North Korea, maybe they should talk about that real photo of Obama shooting fake skeet... since we are talking about him. Hmm?
Anybody who actually gives a rat's ass whether Obama shoots skeet or not doesn't warrant any kind of intelligent response.
Regarding the relevant points of the article, I think it will be interesting to see what level of detail we ultimately achieve mapping the brain and what benefits better knowledge of these interactions could bring to humanity (Parkinson's treatments, better understanding of schizophrenia, autism, etc.). And though the point has been driven into the ground, there were certainly plenty of naysayers when the Human Genome Project began, and we've absolutely benefitted from that (and it's only just begun).
For better or worse, I'm just glad to see a relatively small chunk of tax dollars funding something which in a decade could have far-reaching positive implications for neurology and artificial intelligence (certainly better spent than tax subsidies for oil companies).
@AnyIcon
lol, but its actually easier than yall thinking
women are 2 to 4 times better at taking Long term decisions than men so its normal that the majority of males cant understand them (they are just smarter than us... deal with it)
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No facts, No response...
vt007,
If I am contemplating the problem and observing others with the same problem, yes I am attempting to deal with it, thank you. I am just stating the issue is unresolved. ;)
@AnyIcon
and my statement was that it is resolved...
juste males are too ignorant in general to understand it*
*the inner workings of the mind of woman
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No facts, No response...
A grand accomplishment for the human species, but my little conspiracy theory generating canary tells me the project's ultimate goal is to ultimately capture an entire human mind, with the objective of making the captured mind immortal via digital emulation...
@GregN913
Strange as it may sound, that isn't exactly conspiracy theory material. Though we're a ways off from actually achieving it, it's no secret that a Holy Grail of neurology would be the ability to not only completely understand the mind once and for all but to have the ability to upload our memories and working consciousness digitally to achieve immortality. I wouldn't hold your breath though....my 30-something generation may be the oldest living generation when this actually happens.
@derosanick82:
I agree completely. Sometimes I have to take on the overtones of sarcasm and humor to spearhead these ideas on this forum, as no "sane" person seems to take this subject seriously, and even more argue that longevity procedures on this scale are unethical to all those who have died before us.
Even more so, I agree with your time-frame, you certainly have done your research on the subject.
I typically only reply to articles referring to digital imaging technologies, and holography, as both will be needed to bride the gap between biological and non-biological life.
The more interest in this subject by brilliant minds, the greater the chances this technology will advance far enough in our lifetimes to benefit those who have witnessed it's conception.
I have seen that the technology will progress to prototype imaging stages within the next 50 years, and so I see my only chance to benefit from these emerging technologies is to become a critical part of their development, least I expire before my turn in the immortalmatron.
It is my only very sincerest hope that the technologies which offer this service are to be manufactured in mass enough to benefit everyone on Earth.
vt007,
What? What?
LOL