Creepy tech

[NeverMore]

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that scientists are messing around with things that a lot of us think are somewhat scary. Cloning, life-extension, artificial intelligence, ect. I remember reading a sci-fi book when I was a kid where people could use computer assisted telepathy to control animals and even other humans. The thought of such a thing just made me shiver. Well... now it exists.

New Interface Allows Humans to Move a Rat’s Tail With Their Thoughts
http://io9.com/new-interface-allows-hum ... -469799719

[NeverMore]

Oh pooh! I sure hope the government doesn't find out about this. I'd sure like to at least keep my thoughts private.

• http://gizmodo.com/its-official-scienti ... 1183480233

[Pumpkin_Man]

I tend to take a lot of what I read over the internet with a grain of salt. That was one huge rat, however. I didn't think rats could get that large.

Mike

[NeverMore]

It's not that far-fetched, and in possibly 20 years or so may be common-place. You can now buy toys that you control with your mind, also brain-controlled prosthetics and computer interfaces are in the pipeline, with people actively using them. Face it, we live in the future. Let's just hope people use this new tech responsibly. Yeah... riiight!

[Murfreesboro]

My older son is a mathematician, and he has hinted to me that artificial intelligence is moving way faster than I realize, that within a few decades we may be having to examine what we think it means to be human. I raised him as a Christian, and he still holds to that faith, but I think he finds some of these technologies very unsettling.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Murf and NeverMore, the world is and allways has been, chucked FULL with all kinds of urban legends, conspiracy theories, 'end of the world' scenarios and frightening news about what could happen a few years from now. I have heard about this "Cyper Armagedden" countless times from all kinds of people, both off and on line, and I just don't believe in it. Artificial Intelligence, like any other of man's technology was invented by humans. Therefore, IMHO it is impossible for it to take over the world, or force everyone into receiving these inplants.

The prospect of having my brain directly hooked into a device that can be accessed by anyone else, is a particularly frightening scenario. So is the prospect of thermonuclear war, an asteroid collission, the sun going nova, or global warming causing hypercanes to come thousands of miles inland and devistate everything in their paths.

We're in the 21st century. In the 19th century, the 'big scare' was the progress railroads were making, and all the land they were taking over to lay their tracks. In the 20th century, the 'big scare' was nuclear war. Now a days it's cyber terror, or the prospect of our entire beings taken over by artificial intelligence.

Sorry, folks, but I just plain don't think it's going to happen that way. If anything, our entire information infrastructure is very volunerable. A large enough solar flair, a large enough magnetic pulse, and a whole host of other possible misshaps could totaly and completely render our computers, cell phones, smart phones, iPods, etc, etc, etc, totaly useless.

Mike

[NeverMore]

No! Not my iPad!!

I guess that's the really scary thing about technology. The more dependent we become on it, the worse it could be when/if we loose it.

As for artificial intelligence? Sci-fi is full of stories where our creation came to realize we were no longer relevant, just as many people now are viewing God.

[Pumpkin_Man]

One of the best Sci Fi movies I ever saw as a kid was a flick that was made back in the late 60s titled "Colossis." In a nut shell, it was about a super computer taking over the entire world. Being taken over by computers or artificial intelligence makes for some great Science Fiction, but I seriously doubt it will ever really happen.

I also agree about technology dependency. The only thing I use a pen for any more is to write a check or to sign a document.

Mike

[NeverMore]

http://gizmodo.com/scientists-control-o ... r-person's brain

It says, at least for now, that the NSA, or whoever, won't be able to grab people and hi-jack their bodies. It does say that a pilot on the ground would be able to use this to help a passenger land an aircraft. So that's cool.

[Boogeyman]

An argument could be made that we have already been taken over by computers. Just sit back and observe people sometime. Everyone checks their cellphones every thirty seconds often for no reason except they are addicted.

[NeverMore]

Bugs the heck out of me when I'm at a bar or other public place and everyone is looking down at their phones. Makes it hard to meet people now.

[Boogeyman]

My older son is a mathematician, and he has hinted to me that artificial intelligence is moving way faster than I realize, that within a few decades we may be having to examine what we think it means to be human. I raised him as a Christian, and he still holds to that faith, but I think he finds some of these technologies very unsettling.

I saw an interview with Ray Kurzweil a few months ago and his predictions were just that. Google him and find out why that matters. He is working with Google, and predicts in five years, the phones will be able to anticipate your destination before you leave your starting point.

I also saw someone make a comment on a show about the militarization of the police in America. They referenced the movie "Minority Report" from 2002. They said that every piece of technology that was in that movie is either available now or is being prototyped. And that movie took place in 2054, so yes technology is rapidly advancing.

[Boogeyman]

Bugs the heck out of me when I'm at a bar or other public place and everyone is looking down at their phones. Makes it hard to meet people now.

It is even more noticeable when it happens out in the country. It really frustrated me the last few years when we go to a farm that does a haunted woods and corn maze. Everyone is checking their phones nonstop and taking themselves out of the moment. I would rather enjoy the atmosphere, which includes the screams and bonfires. But it is hard when everyone has that screen glow illuminating their faces.

[Spookymufu]

Bugs the heck out of me when I'm at a bar or other public place and everyone is looking down at their phones. Makes it hard to meet people now.

see and for me, its a way to avoid dealing with people, "oh look, he's checking his phone, I wont bother him"

[NeverMore]

The only reason I even leave the house anymore is to interact with people and all they care about is what's going on elsewhere. My ex-roommate comes over to watch a movie and she spends the whole time chatting online or checking that facebook thing.