Simmering for the past century, a series of astounding developments have propelled neurobiology to the forefront of science. We have come a long way since 1870, when it was first reported that our motor cortex was controlled by electrical stimulation. Years of mapping -- attributing physical and emotional behaviors to specific parts of the brain -- has set the stage for amazing things. This deeper understanding of the inner workings of the mind has permitted the engineering of animal-machine interfaces.
The last few years have ushered unprecedented technology -- truly inspiring and at the same time somewhat terrifying. One of the most striking aspects of this research is its accelerated rate of progress.
Just last week, researchers at Duke University Medical Center announced that they "rewired" the neurons of a monkey to directly control the movement of a robot arm. From across the room, the monkey maneuvered the arm, reaching and grasping objects.
Such technology not only possesses great medical potential -- promising brain-operated prosthetic devices for paralyzed patients -- but it will profoundly impact other facets of society as well. Pending FDA approval, human testing is expected to begin in 2004.
The reverse process was developed just last year: remote-controlled rats.
It was reported in Nature that "signals from a laptop up to 500 meters away make the rodents run, climb, jump and even cross brightly lit open spaces, contrary to their instincts." A radio receiver and a power source, strapped to the back of the rat, transmit the signals via microelectrodes implanted in the rat's brain.
It is expected that camera-equipped "ratbots" will be capable of detecting land mines or inspecting disaster areas. They could even be directed on spy missions.
Make no mistake, it won't be long before remote-controlled rats turn into remote-controlled monkeys. After all, the current primate research at Duke was preceded by similar work with rodents.
As animal-machine interfacing becomes a more intricate art, we will have a greater ability to do both the miraculous and the egregious. A clearer understanding of the human brain could fundamentally alter our conception of guilt and innocence as well as the remedies we prescribe. Remote controls could be used to rehabilitate criminals by controlling their thoughts, essentially hijacking the mind.
Developing prosthetic limbs is a noble cause, but it too has the potential to be abused. Since certain frequencies will be used to control the artificial limbs, it would be conceivable to emit signals at the same frequency from an outside source, thus directly controlling arms and legs of prosthetic recipients.
But nightmare scenarios aside, the new technology will no doubt find its way into our daily lives. Thought-controlled personal robots, or "neurobots," for example, might be sold commercially, capable of running our errands or cooking our dinner.
And as always, neurotechnology will be used to advance military capabilities. The Department of Defense is behind the research. It strives to design the perfect soldier -- the brain of a man with the body of a machine.
As our capabilities expand, the ethical issues must be explored and the immediate dangers must be addressed. Recent developments such as the Human Genome Project, genetically altered primates, stem cells and now animal-machine interfaces are in need of close review.
It's essential to forge an alliance between modern ethics and scientific development, working to channel the inevitable scientific advances toward lofty goals. It is clear that some sort of regulation is in order. Among the daunting questions before us are who ultimately regulates and enforces, and under what guidelines?
Answers do not come easily. For one, our lack of jurisdiction over research conducted abroad in no way precludes us from its fallout.
Allowing research on a subject so closely related to our humanity to continue and pick up speed without understanding the consequences is myopic and irresponsible. The development of ethical parameters must keep pace with our technological advances. Yet, many schools and universities have failed to provide a visible forum for students to discuss issues such as the ethical guidelines of rapidly changing technology that will be available to the general public in the near future.
Scientific discoveries made in the 20th century revolutionized everyday public life and influenced the outcome of wars. Today's developments will alter tomorrow's world and shape our future to an even greater extent.
Charting a prudent moral course will be one of the great challenges of the 21st century. The stakes are high. If we fail, those of us born in 1984 just might experience an Orwellian world after all.
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