VR in the future: nano technology

[adventurer]

As far as I read, the future technology of VR will be nano technology. In 40 or 50 years, VR will reach the level of being totally immersive. Nano technology will be able to simulate all human's 5 senses and there will be no different between real world and virtual world to human mind. One of the way to do that is using "Vertebrane" technology . Below I will quote a quite interesting paragraph about "Vertebrane" deprived from the website thenanoage.com .
"
"Vertebrane" is the term for a speculative brain-computer interface technology first proposed by Marshall Brain in the book Manna. The technology consists of a computer system packaged as a replacement for one of the upper cervical vertebra in the human spine.

The Vertebrane system taps into all sensory and motor nerve bundles flowing to and from the brain. Vertebrane allows for augmented reality or a complete disconnection of the brain from the biological body and subsequent electronic reconnection to a virtual body typically inhabiting a virtual world. It would be the "ultimate videogame controller."

Everything you enjoy about the real world and your real body it will be possible to duplicate exactly in the virtual environment. It will also be possible to improve everything you enjoy, and make virtually (pun intended) anything that was once impossible, possible for you.

The Vertebrane system itself would consist of a diminutive, yet extremely powerful nanocomputer. Power would come from a small onboard fuel cell that uses blood glucose to generate electricity. The system would be installed by a robotic surgeon which would sever the spinal cord and reroute it into the Vertebrane. All sensory nerve pathways (optic, auditory etc.) would be tapped into the system. In pass-through mode, the Vertebrane would act as if it was not there, and you would be able to function completely normally. In "game" mode, the vertebrane would disconnect your brain from your body and reconnect it to your virtual avatar. The avatar would have all of the approximately 640 muscles as your real body, and your brain would control them all in the exact same manner it controls your biological muscles. The avatar would have virtual senses to replace all of your natural senses. This would create a completely immersive experience, and when in use, you would live inside a virtual reality every bit as real as the "real" world itself. "

the link of this article is http://www.thenanoage.com/virtual-reali ... vertebrane" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
I think this technology can be possible in the future. What about you? Do you think it is the future of VR or it's just another science fiction?

[brantlew]

From a purely physical stand point, it seems like every biological system above the brain stem would get left out. How would you "tap in" all the optical and auditory pathways and all the facial musculature and nerves. That's a huge amount of wiring that would have to be rerouted from disparate parts of the head and extended downwards - basically aggregating another nerve cord (at least as large as the spinal) and routing it to this computer. It would almost seem easier to do the opposite - centrally locate the computer within the brain and then extend the spinal cord upwards since all the nerves in the spinal cord are already conveniently co-located.

Edit: Duh. Of course what's the point of that? The spinal cord already connects into the brain. Point being - better to install a computer somewhere like the cerebellum where a good portion of those nerves and the spinal cord are naturally routed anyways.

[adventurer]

Nano technology can reach the level of atom so I think it would not be a problem to overwritten the nervous system although it has a huge amount of wiring.

[blzd1]

I agree that nanatechnology could be the future of virtual reality. However, all I really think you would need if you were efficient is a single microchip. The smaller the better, which raises the question if you remove too much of the brain would you lose any consciousness? It would have a mind control system that was directed outside the brain using software. It would create a cybernetic link by activating the brain from a computer electromagnetically via satellite. That way, everyone's brains could be connected wirelessly to the internet. The chip would then control all of the brain's senses and it could create an immersive environment.

No need for surgery, this chip would be swallowed or injected, and would enter the brain through the blood brain barrier.

This would be state of the art technology and may be available commercially sometime after surgical brain implants have been around for a while. I'm guessing in the 2030s or later as Intel will be coming out with an implant that can control a computer in 2020.

[blzd1]

Government is already experimenting with microscopic implants. Assume government is at least 30 years ahead of everyone in technology. I take this from a website:


http://www.infowars.com/articles/bb/rfi ... europe.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Today's microchips operate by means of low-frequency radio waves that target them. With the help of satellites, the implanted person can be tracked anywhere on the globe. Such a technique was among a number tested in the Iraq war, according to Dr. Carl Sanders, who invented the intelligence-manned interface (IMI) biotic, which is injected into people. (Earlier during the Vietnam War, soldiers were injected with the Rambo chip, designed to increase adrenaline flow into the bloodstream.) The 20-billion-bit/second supercomputers at the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) could now "see and hear" what soldiers experience in the battlefield with a remote monitoring system (RMS).

"When a 5-micromillimeter microchip (the diameter of a strand of hair is 50 micromillimeters) is placed into optical nerve of the eye,", Dr. Kilde indicates "it draws neuro-impulses from the brain that embody the experiences, smells, sights, and voice of the implanted person. Once transferred and stored in a computer, these neuro-impulses can be projected back to the person's brain via the microchip to be re-experienced. Using a RMS, a land-based computer operator can send electromagnetic messages (encoded as signals) to the nervous system, affecting the target's performance. With RMS, healthy persons can be induced to see hallucinations and to hear voices in their heads. "

[cybereality]

I don't doubt that this will happen. I don't wish the guess an exact date, but it could reasonable be in our life-time (say in the next 25 years or so). It could even be sooner depending on how much research and development muscle is put into this. Surely nanotechnology will be used for more life-critical applications first, main medicine. But I could see a big draw to entertainment purposes. Especially if it could provide a convincing virtual reality experience.

The "Vertebrane" concept sounds a bit scary too me, I would not want to get paralyzed by mistake during the operation. And surely, most people would be scared to do this. I don't even want to get the Lasik surgery, even though I know its safe. So I would much rather if they could make a non-invasive headset you would wear, or even nanotechnology that was less destructive. And you have to think that even if they have the technology in 20 years, it will likely be too expensive for regular people. But I think its going to be very exciting if this happens.

[adventurer]

I am sure that there will be many ways the nano technology can integrate brain-computer interface to human body and brain. "Vertebrane" is just one theoretical way to do that. A chip integrated in the brain may be more practical. However, I think when the time of total immersive VR come, people will have no danger of integrating such technology to their body due to so many years research and development. And because of that, I think the nano technology VR era will be a long time ahead. But who knows in our lifetime we can experience totally immersive VR technology in consumer level

[Synexious]

This will also enable immortality. Being able to discard the body and keep the brain alive in a tank would increase lifespan by centuries. People don't realize this, but almost everyone dies ultimately because the body murders the brain. When the body fails, it takes the often perfectly healthy brain down with it. Brain canisters would prevent this. That is the inevitable future, to be followed by mind uploading. The body is a grievous liability and limiter.

Infowars is a conspiracy theory site, for people who believe in dark cabals channeling the paranormal, Reptilians, Clockwork Elves, Mars bases, flying saucers, and trillions in undeclared gold buried in the Marianas Trench by the evil global financial superelite.

[WiredEarp]

Government is already experimenting with microscopic implants. Assume government is at least 30 years ahead of everyone in technology. I take this from a website:

http://www.infowars.com/articles/bb/rfi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... europe.htm
"Today's microchips operate by means of low-frequency radio waves that target them. With the help of satellites, the implanted person can be tracked anywhere on the globe. Such a technique was among a number tested in the Iraq war, according to Dr. Carl Sanders, who invented the intelligence-manned interface (IMI) biotic, which is injected into people. (Earlier during the Vietnam War, soldiers were injected with the Rambo chip, designed to increase adrenaline flow into the bloodstream.) The 20-billion-bit/second supercomputers at the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) could now "see and hear" what soldiers experience in the battlefield with a remote monitoring system (RMS).

Seriously, you are citing infowars.com as a source?
All of that sounds pretty much like conspiracy theory BS. While nanotechnology will be the end game of VR, I don't really believe a word of what you have quoted there.

[android78]

Without a complete understanding of the entire nervous system of the body and brain, I don't see this as happening. Let's face it, they can't even cure basic things like depression, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, etc. We are also struggling to restore sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf... they are making progress, but it is essentially just at the stage of exciting the nerve endings for these sensors, which is a long way from intercepting the signals at the other end and injecting your own signals. So maybe it'll happen, but I doubt it will be in the next 100 years. We will probably see a lot of corrective advancements like the retina implants, and maybe moving to mechanical enhancements, but nowhere near the complete immersion.

[cybereality]

So maybe it'll happen, but I doubt it will be in the next 100 years.

If you look at modern history, you can see that technological progress doesn't happen linearly, but exponentially. So what you think is going to take 100 years (or what would be 100 years of progress by today's metric) could easily only take 15 or 20 years. You can read Ray Kurzweil's 'The Singularity is Near' for a deeper understanding of this concept.

[WiredEarp]

Really, its not a matter of if, its a matter of when. I remember watching Terminator 2 in the movies and thinking it was unrealistic that the liquid metal robot had no CPU or wiring etc.

Nowadays I realise it could all be done by fractal robots. With time, what seems impossible now, becomes possible.