"Nerve - Chip Hybrids"

One of the main goals many prosthetic researches strive for is the ability for humans to control prosthetic movement though neurons within the human brain. Although this might seem out of reach at the moment, researchers at the University of Wisconsin have started making strides to one day making this sci-fi inspired idea a reality. Researchers at the university have created an unproven version of a “nerve – chip hybrid”. Basically, tubes made out of silicon and germanium shows potential to be compatible with a neuron. Tests in lab mouse shows affinity for currents to pass though these semiconductors from brain nerve cells. In addition, when the tubes are made with the appropriate size, the tendrils of the nerves seem to be able to navigate though them with ease and formed complex structures. This demonstrates that these tubes have integrated perfectly with the nervous system. Although researchers are not completely sure whether the nerve cells can communicate with each other effectively using these tubes, this provides a starting step to a new age of controllable prosthetics.

Much of this article is speculation and testing, the research has not provided a definite answer about the new technology and ultimately this idea might not go much further in development. However, I still chose this article because of the potential to achieving something like this. Giving humans the ability to control prosthetics like a normal human body part would change the direction of bio-technology. The fact that this idea can even be deem possible and research have show that it can be achieved shows vast potential to finally gap the distance between reality and sci-fi.

Link: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-03/silicon-chips-wired-nerve-cells-could-enable-new-brain-machine-interfaces

Angdi Liu - Section 502