Are We Approaching the Singularity?

Are we nearing the singularity? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly learn about brain machine interfaces and prosthetics you can control with your mind, with biomedical engineer Dr. Cindy Chestek and neurosurgeon Dr. Parag Patil.
Learn about engineering robotic limbs and teaching artificial intelligence how to interpret neural signals. How do you get a brain implant to work with the body’s electrical and chemical signals? How do you decode its messages? Is the brain’s motor cortex in the same place for everybody? How do you know which part of the brain controls the hands?
How safe are brain implants? Find out about electrodes, circuits, and how someone with a neuroprosthetic can keep a sense of embodiment. Does scarring get in the way of the device? Can this technology allow paralysis patients to regain control of their limbs? We discover how machine learning is utilized to learn about the language of the brain. How is one thought different from another thought that creates movement?
Will we be able to augment ourselves using neural interfaces? Could brain machine interfaces be used for mind control? Could you physically change someone’s mind? We talk about the ethical framework behind brain implants, deep brain stimulations, and the cure to Parkinson’s Disease. How do you power a brain implant? All that, plus, how far away are we from the sci-fi world of mind control?
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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
#StarTalk #neildegrassetyson
00:00 - Introduction
05:18 - Degrees of freedom: Engineering the hand
07:00 - What is a Brain Machine Interface?
10:15 - Connecting the brain to the prosthetic
11:30 - Artificial Intelligence & Brain Signals
15:44 - Reversing Paralysis
18:00 - Needles in the brain & Implants
21:44 - Hardware, Phantom Limbs, & Embodiment
23:40 - Scar Tissue & Electrodes
27:17 - Reversing Paralysis & Spinal Injury
28:40 - Decoding Neurosignals
30:15 - Biggest Challenges: The Immune System
33:15 - Understanding the Language of the Brain
36:00 - Accounting for Neuroplasticity
39:05 - Future Applications
42:20 - Mind Control? The Ethics
47:20 - Batteries
49:00 - Optimization & Augmentation

[@StarTalk]

Would you merge with a machine?

[@trashcanwithfeet]

Definitely

[@chilling_at_pontiff]

Yes

[@mbrew3244]

Yes if it could make me awesome

[@mikequatse5579]

I can learn everything that way

[@AndrewTateOfficial-]

It depends, Doctor Tyson, on the nature of the merging

[@joshrg1102]

Fascinating. I was hit by a car on freeway and had both legs amputated. One leg was reattached having to reconnect my nerves ect. However I also suffer from a brachial plexus injury that has permanent loss of my left fingers motor function. Tech like this would give me movement back in my hand and would literally change my life. Thank you!

[@GrandmasterBBC]

Damn, Chuck! You've been around NDT so long I think you are turning into a damn scientist. Very engaging questions my friend. That was a great episode.

[@Sadeeq]

was about to say that. chuck talking about "motor cortices" i was like damnnnnn

[@apathinthedust]

Most likely given to him so he can engage

[@dannybrown5744]

Agree Chuck...growing every day with the intellect of the comedian...you will go far ...😂

[@sapelesteve]

As a retired health care professional, I found this to be an amazing topic and fantastic video Neil! Hopefully you can get Parag & Cindy back for another interview in the near future! 👍👍

[@michaelalbertsr6]

Yes

[@Tayya100]

@@michaelalbertsr6 I want to donate a large sum of money to these studies, where do I go for that. Very interesting field

[@JCtheMusicMan_]

I love that you guys have the ability to assemble a panel of experts to discuss a topic after reading an interesting article! 💜

[@angeldreams2713]

EXPERTS?

[@VALKEN1]

"Ability to assemble" you mean like the avengers?

[@smiles1730]

Btw... My 6 year old son and I were in San Jose and attended your talk last night. He said he had a better time than seeing Avatar (Dolby 3D). Thank you for coming out and I'll save up for next time you come out. Thank you!

[@DhanashriBhate]

Hi, I am in San Jose, would love to attend with my son when this happens again. I'm new here.. can you please share how would I come to know of these events please?

[@smiles1730]

@@DhanashriBhate ticketmaster

[@philipberthiaume2314]

I wear glasses, my Grandmother had her teeth replaced, her brother has a stainless steel hip and my neighbour's daughter takes medication to help her sort through her adhd. I think we are already well onto merging with 'the machine'. Great video.

[@georgesos]

we are talking about brain here,about neurons that are containing your self. its not the same thing like prosthetics neither is the target of the resesrch to help people. it is a "defense industry " idea that unethical "scientists " try to make reality so that the 1% has mercenaries who can be remotely controled ,overcoming this way all ethical sensitivity a person could feel,creating this way the "perfect spldier" or something.

[@philipberthiaume2314]

@@georgesos understandable concern for sure. But It would seem weird that we would remove, replace, improve organs, teeth, hearts, limbs and more and somehow leave the brain out of it.

[@aprylvanryn5898]

@@philipberthiaume2314 I get what you mean but glasses and prosthetic limbs and artificial hearts can't change your identity of self. When you change the brain, you change the person.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

I LOVE the story about the 12-year-old Parag Patil who read a story about a robotic knee at MIT and said to himself, I want to go there and study that!

[@ericparrish1515]

Quantum donut theory

[@ejkalegal3145]

I don't.

[@christianolivera8019]

Neuroprosthetics are a really fascinating and beautiful idea! Great conversation everyone in this video!! Thank you for your analysis and brilliance Gary!!

[@sharc811]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rp7bgmiCnpKUhZo

[@tarmstrong9906]

Oh how hope this to be true for uncle Freddy who is almost quadriplegic from a motorcycle accident, and other people who need it. He was mailman just out for a weekend ride with his wife _ friends when the accident occurred. He is such a good father and all around person.

[@Geezer-yf8hv]

It’s possible, maybe if he volunteered as an experimental case, even then there would be certain medical requirements to qualify, like age and other conditions. Signing waivers too. Otherwise, only millionaires could pay for such procedures.

[@tarmstrong9906]

@@Geezer-yf8hv I am almost positive he would. His wife beat brain cancer, she had a reoccurring tumor, after so many radiation treatments they used this laser treatment and prayed it worked. There are only two places in the United States that do that, Boston and Texas, that was her last hope,her last resort and it worked. Their daughter is married to a surgeon who they are staying with.

[@andagain21]

Great topic, great guests, great questions, great episode!!

[@gettyro7390]

Great pick Gary, so informative on several fronts.

[@mahdmustafa9258]

Beautiful really,easily understandable...

[@nt41809]

I’ve never finished an episode that Chuck isn’t in… love him lol

[@bjornsan]

One thing I hoped was brought up was the input. It's one thing to move a hand but you need to know how hard to grip things. Or if you're playing a guitar you must feel where the strings are. I know it's one thing at a time but I would love to hear their thoughts about it.

[@TheMcEwens419]

I never cease to be amazed with you Neil I love start talk hopefully we'll get to the point where we have just one giant neuronet and I don't need to tune in on a smart device to listen to you speak. Now I sound like a Sci-Fi freak. Stay you and stay safe you've been an inspiration to Millions.

[@linda1lee2]

Resistance is futile!

[@miranda.cooper]

14:18 I might be an exception lol as someone with hydrocephalus I DO want to have a neurosurgeon! Thank you SO MUCH for what you do!

[@mariocasarez3896]

Great podcast! Keep up the great work.

[@duncanengel5146]

I'm not really a sports guy so this was by far my favorite sports ep, would love broader(?) ones like this in the future. Great guests, Chuck was on point, nearly spit my drink out at "welcome to this old brain"

[@angeldreams2713]

I agree. No actual point for NDT fans but fantastic to see Chuck lol. This comment is sucking but im invested. Sorry. Tired. Is there an episode about that... being tired?

[@joppadoni]

Brilliant episode, as always.

[@TheStaggpaul]

I'm sure you get this a lot but Niel you are my hero. I look up to you and have been watching your content since I was a child watching PBS Nova. Thank you so much for giving me so much over the years. I'm not a fan boy for anyone but I would be beside myself to meet you in person.

[@zepo82]

Chuck's jorney is the best :)

[@taimalik1110]

I'm quite impressed by Chuck's questions! Keep it up guys!

[@bryanwilkens]

Please tell me this is all true. It's giving me hope for my son for the first time since 2012, when he was 3 1/2. He's 13 now, I bet he'd love to find a way into a program like this.

[@samanthanor332]

So correlation compared with key signals and stimulation along with symbols of recognition. So at this point in time you would find out when the brain would fire what waves whenever a certain signal is shown and the signal is confirmed at the same time. This would give you insight to the working of the brain waves at that any given time. Nice good job guys you're awesome.

[@acriotos]

I am deeply appreciating your level of appreciation to different fields at the level that you are talking to at different fields with it such an emotional attachment that you are

[@softerliving]

Thank you Drs. for saying there are scientists working on solutions for chronic pain. Sign me up. This topic aside, that's all I wanted to hear. Then you joked about people being out of a job. Why do we want more work? If we can use robots for all the work we could all be free to study and learn anything. Can you imagine the evolution? We could all become students and teachers. Lastly, if singularity of mind is invoked, the body will need strength or armour to withstand what the brain will have it do. Thanks for a great show.

[@SoRDouglasdale]

After having had a mild stroke that altered, in particular, my left hand abilities, I'd definitely consider almost anything to gain my previous functionality back.

[@julescircuits845]

To all five of you, such an engaging video I was talking to my laptop LCD!!! Brilliant work! Thank you :)

[@boikanomorele2430]

I enjoyed this very much...so informative 👌👌

[@patytrico]

Inspiring, amazing! Thank you!

[@MsEsquire83]

If you have to see a neurosurgeon, U of M is an excellent bet - utterly thrilled to see one of the specialists featured here. U of M Hospital is phenomenal, I have a litany of specialists there who quite literally saved me whilst slowly actively dying fron severe adult onset SCADD (FOD), and million more issues. Dr. Garg has been an outstanding nephro, Uppal @ Rogel gyn onc, an amazing hematologist who's name I cannot recall... and I owe my life to Dr. Barber and Dr. Mark H. Kaplan. Absolutely genus and the reason my 4 kids have a mom today Keep up the good work 💗

[@mackymintle7806]

More of these 2 guests!!!

[@welly888]

Hi Dr.Tyson, Gary and Chuck, everytime i watch a sports edition of Startalk with Gary, i always feel hopeful that one day i will watch an episode on soccer. Bring an English Premier League fan, i would like to request for 1 episode featuring the physics of soccer. Thank you

[@theoteddy9665]

I dont need any guests, this is my favourite trio in the world!

[@Leva.Xterminator]

You can see Gary die a little inside every time Neil says “soccer” 😂

[@joseimpact]

great episode i think i missed this one!!

[@Geezer-yf8hv]

This is AMAZING! I so regret taking the wrong paths in life as a teenager through my 20s! I’m not a genius by any means, but had a good mind and great curiosity, but simply wasted it by not going through college! Instead, I chose to hang out with stoners and drunks! (Well, there are plenty of those in college too)! I loved space, astronomy, and cosmology as a kid too! I could have been a guest on Star Talk if I had only applied myself! I’m not posting this to get any sympathy, just as a warning to young people to apply yourself, take the high road, and YOU could be one of these amazing people, too! Helping Mankind, instead of just existing and trying to survive in this crazy world!!

[@jayjaychadoy9226]

Maybe your genius is in being an encourager

[@tonyjuliasto682]

I want to hear the explanation of the feedback signal back to the brain to have the control loop. It can't be only a way signal to create a movement. Thank you for the education.

[@pikeyMcBarkin]

Gary dropping biocompatibility on the discussion! Love the video guys!

[@ZenRyoku]

one subject id like to know more about....is: how does the phenomenon known as: "Muscle Memory" be used to connect the "neural memory" which is essentially the neutral connective network between the brain in its totality and the musclular-neural network that manages or facilitates these processes use/develop/manage

[@ZenRyoku]

so amazing that each typical spiral galaxy that contains an equal amount of stars on average compared to neurons in the brain....but....imagine each star in our galaxy alone is connected to each other star exponentially.....that is a close approximation of how each human brain operates.... ...fascinating....

[@bomwond]

Example glass eye... how about a prosthetic eye able to feed a video signal for field of view, in place of the eye it's self. I know this is more difficult that it seems.. but this is ironically same path as talked about in my office. Love the show, keep it going

[@rvanhees89]

There is a spanish(?) Artists I believe who surgically placed a jack insert in his cranium, either brain or optic nerve, becoming a cyborg. Look into it🙃

[@theunclejesusshow8260]

Omnipresent Greetingz cuzinz🏵🧙‍♂️👍

[@nicolopez9494]

Amazing episode, thanks!

[@eddiejames4589]

As someone who has left side weakness and spasticity from a TBI , I look forward to this ..

[@JamieFisk]

I think "leading" neural connections to interface with electronics could allow devices to be implanted in "cavities" in the skull, perhaps even near the corpus colossum, or through a small hole in the skull for external interface.

[@Multiverse2112ACT]

Always the Best Startalk crew! I would ask if there is any experimentation using drugs to extend the neuron plasticity to react more sensitively to electrical impulse in a less invasive way. Another query would be about using magnetic, rather than direct electrical stimulation. Have there been magnetic studies done of the brain along with these other avenues of exploration for example. Just a few thoughts on the show. Thanks for the awesome inspiring work that all of you do indeed!

[@i_smoke_ghosts]

loved the discussion thank you

[@Hippiekinkster]

At 13:18, when Dr. Chestek said "brain implant", I immediately thought of Herschel Walker.

[@wdvest8333]

Fantasy/SciFi writer Rudy Rucker wrote several books on the brain machine interface. I read them and that's why I won't interface my brain with a machine!

[@vinny040506]

This got me thinking, will there come a time we're the 🧠 will have some type of monitoring and feedback like a CI/CD pipline so that it's able to diagnose and troubleshoot connectivity problems and rewire those connections all on its own?

[@krishanthavidane2737]

As long as we do not end up looking like the Borg as a race, this stuff is pretty cool.

[@dhornbuckle92]

Hey guys! I just wanted to say first I love your shows I love how your bringing this awesome science to everyone. Since I have started watching I noticed you guys interrupt and talk over your guests quite a lot from an honest fan I feel this hurts the flow of information a bit . I apologize for the bluntness but it does come across as somewhat rude. Let them talk 😊 again love your shows. Neil and chuck you guys are legends just let them talk ❤

[@adam37886]

Dr. Tyson, I love listening to your videos. Thank you for what you do. On an unrelated note, your flag over your right shoulder is backwards. Can be flipped around, or was it made that way?

[@scottsaloney]

As someone who has had two brain surgeries for epilepsy, I have seen miracles from neurosurgeons. Another epileptic friend was cured from neurosurgery and it helped me a little.

[@oculus1805]

Thank you for talking about this topic. I would absolutely love to implant neuroprosthetics in the future. I truly believe that pursuing this technology will help improve the lives of millions or billions of people in the future. From improving the lives of the average human being, increase the limits of human neural capabilities, and help improve or remove neurological dysfunctions like alzheimers or dementia.

[@paulthebaker]

Almost as if you could record or make a recording like an old-time vinyl album. When the subject repeats the motion over and over again the vibrations could be read and record like a needle in vinyl

[@kathryntate6809]

Thank you for this.

[@Artofwarthebookof5rings]

Common everyone let's get this channel up to 2million subs.

[@wjcorrinne4052]

Would I merge with a machine, an interesting prospect considering I’m living with a neurological disease. Having the good fortune of being to live a somewhat ‘normal’ life, sports in high school, college and after. Spent 29 years doing manual labor in a large factory with everything from assembly line to loading steel stock up to 85lbs into various machinery without a hoist. Not having any major issues until my late sixties when I was diagnosed with a form of MD. Having to use a walker and in physical therapy for the MD, with my mind thinking “you should be able to just take a few steps to go from bed to bathroom “, but my body saying NO, I’m missing some of the simple things I took for granted. Taking a walk without aids, drives longer than an hour or so without having to stop and get out to move, getting back to the golf course, ride a bike even just doing simple jobs around the house are things I can’t do. But to have something to bring those back into my life would be good but to have my mind control a device that would let me do those things, I’m not so sure how good that would actually be for my mental health? After all it’s pain that lets us know we are alive,merged with a machine would I really still be alive?

[@rvanhees89]

I think I get what you are saying, and I have some Thoughts on IT I would like to share. Do you think that you would experience depersonalisation? When you feel disconnected from your body, and your body feels like a machine, with you as the machinist, way up there turning cranks and levers. Making the machine move. Well, being stuck in that part, the state of dissociation, isnt a particulary productive, proactieve or functional state. The mind Goes 'blegh', and the body Just ambulates, until the mind Goes 'wut' and apparently stuff just happend but now you are somewhere else So yeah, challenge on the part of 'grounding' aka integration/reintegration - syncing bioware with hardware. Hmm could be doable Opens another dynamic into applied psychology Come to think about it... I think that the Anime series Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex will actually be able to answer a lot of your questions. Seriously check Them out, not Just the movies (not the recent one with Scarlett Johansson, but the 90's animated ones) but the series. Its a brilliant series about a police counter-terrorism blackops unit, heavily augmented with cyberimplants and human brain interface with cyberspace Deeply layered with moral and existential philosophy, applied ethics, action, suspense, intrigues The Red line meandering through Ghost In The Shell (animaties series) is all about this, cyborg enhancements and prosthetics for medical, tactical, practical, estethical, experimental use. Right up until societal use becoming the norm as in DSMVI (in Ghost in the Shell fictional universe, ) states that *not* having augmentations is considered a disorder. So then, considering all that , swhat does it mean to be human?

[@bigwill123ism]

Gary on point this episode

[@h7opolo]

34:15 inner monologue supposedly very slightly activates the vocal cords

[@conniepr]

Wow. So this IS true. Awesome video.

[@johnandrews6872]

My dad only had one arm, I never knew him with two arms, and he chose to not use a prosthetic arm but could run his life with one, an example I was always fascinated by is try to tie your shoe strings with one hand, Well maybe we gave up shoestrings as it was too difficult even with two good arms.

[@tomwirt319]

I made pottery for 20 years. Then one spring; fine motor skills deteriorated, and witgin 2-3 months i couldnt tell pressire being applied to form pot and could judge thicknress,forcing giving up pottery. Thumb, first and middle fingers on both hands mpst affected with feeling like having a cotton ball covering end of finger. No pain and minor tingling. Is there any way out?

[@tripendicular]

I love her! She’s so great at explaining things in an understandable way.

[@AnnoyingNewsletters]

Are you also working on a bypass for ALS or Muscular Dystrophy patients to keep the brain stem in communication with the heart and lungs, etc?

[@prashkd7684]

NFC coil is an effective way to transferring power to biomedical devices and the best part is that they can also carry bidirectional data.

[@FrancescaDarien-HydeLLBM-oh7lf]

Fantastic show - intelligent guests - great banter - makes neuroscience and technology fun - it is a shame that Jurisprudence and ethical concerns are not prioritised - Chile thank goodness protects neural rights by law!!!!

[@brianmooney5552]

Is there any potential problem that may come from motor cortex activity signals that would be normally suppressed during sleep, resulting in problems like sleepwalking or other similar sleep disorders? Or is it simply as easy as don’t wear your prosthetic device to bed?

[@ZenRyoku]

just need to monitor or regulate the bio-electrical processes that engage with the extremely important paralysis it also switches on (most likely evolutionary involuntarily property to not hurt us or a loved one or more specifically child to prevent involuntary movements during REM and/or Non-REM sleep...

[@SmolFrogge]

This episode of startalk skated on the edge of the premise of Ghost in the Shell. The movie and the series.

[@exile9844]

Is it wrong when I see a 60 min with Neil and get excited

[@aprylvanryn5898]

If it's wrong, I don't want to be right

[@astroabed2558]

I love you neil !

[@Jonny5Fails]

Hey, has the ISS tested the fine structure constant to see if time dilation changes it?

[@archieforde3324]

How about haiving the brain itself, to learn how to produce spikes to controle the BMI?

[@aeciosegundo7779]

The best conduction of politics involves humankind & its advancements at large when the impetus of the whole motion is tuned in unconditionally virtuous love to, and delivered by, the well-being of the entire universe.

[@Geezer-yf8hv]

I love these episodes that cover a science Neil knows nothing about! You can be sure he will take everything here, and soon be an expert about it!

[@vigamortezadventures7972]

Think the best method for BCI is teaching a certain way of thinking to the user then recording their actions.

[@MaDragon7]

First time to see Chuck this serious 😄

[@emmanuelvega4353]

I’m here to witness you hit 2 million subs !!!

[@goustwonderz3303]

have you heard the video game and now animated series in netflix, Cyberpunk: edgerunners? this BMI conversation makes me think a lot about the Sandevistan along the Doctor Octavious technology from spiderman. im at 13:11 and hope they touch on Mr. O'Riley's topic of more complex movement just by thinking. because i think this is a completely different direction from were we are. would it not imply rather than the machine having access to brain signals, but rather the brain to be able do have the prosthetics limitations uploaded into our brain language for the mind to manipulate it freely? as humans we still even have to go through a learning process of our own limbs during childhood, thus uploading data would the other only way i can conceive this idea possible other than another crazier one of "growing up" since childhood with prosthetics data in our brains, all this because it cant be as simple as computer language as it is today...hmmm my brain is frying already, but i love it.

[@rustywater3219]

I wouldn't mind a cyborg heart. Or a backup conscience so I could forget some things.

[@zepo82]

replace some of my memories with something better would also be alright :D I'm sure we all wish that though

[@bored9260]

They were working on Neuron probes back in 2015 nudging probes between the cerebrum.

[@user-tc1fw5ms5s]

This one had some absolutely gut busting funny moments 😂

[@angeldreams2713]

what is the action to make this option equal?

[@blackmagician7645]

So close to a full 2 million subscribers. Astronomical.😊🌠🌌

[@thelastgod7261]

U should do a vid on the metaverse I feel like the metaverse will speed up the singularity

[@jeffcooke4213]

Free thought is like free speech. It is a strong challenge within our society to overcome adversity and other things similar to this. Yet to simply force someone to think a certain way can be used in sinister ways just as easily as compassionate ways. There are no short cuts to a fully compassionate society without unknowable side effects. We must come to these conclusions through education and conversations, or we will more likely be programed to think the way that those who want to stay in power want us to think. I only hope that those who are engineering these technologies are thinking about these issues today, before it's to late.

[@coolfarazadil199]

Please cover nano-medicine if you can. Thank you!

[@harshavardhannaik2499]

Hello Dr. Tyson, Hey hey hey Chuck, nice to see you Gary. This is Harshavardhan from India, i will make it easier for you Chuck you can call me Harsh. Dr. Tyson, I couldn't get an answer with my thinking hat on, please help me understand what is the minimum amount of gases that is required to become a stable sphere of gases in space like our gases giant. If we could measure the distance of that sphere from one end to the other end how much would it be? #StarTalk #NeilDegrasseTyson

[@SPAZZ3R]

Hi Neil and chuk, as a guy with CP, (hence my name "Spazz3r_dk" ) this really interests me, i imagine a future where i can get a brain implant witch could help me with my motor control of my muscles❤❤ could you guys touch on the future of treatment of Cerebral palsy and similar desease In a future episode ❤😊 kind regards from Denmark

[@Synathidy]

It's so incredibly interesting that we can detect the signals of our own brains, but don't know how those signals correlate with and control our own behavior. We are brains studying themselves. It's kind of strange to consider.

[@j72ashley]

"Sorry, honey, i am gonna be late. My brain has a windows update..."

[@mikeavery4098]

This is exactly what neurolink is I wonder if they think neurolink is on par or more advanced or behind their own research and development.

[@g4hardcore]

Damn, Chuck!! 🤯 There's hope for us yet!

[@duaanekobe2773]

Neuroprosthetics is the limiting factor in inducing more nanotech into our brain how much can we both p perceive and process into our brain ?

[@rwnorris24]

RE: Matter, Space & our Sun correlates to the concept ‘Oro Boros’ 🙋🏼‍♂️ I have a question. -R.W.N II

[@F_L_U_X]

Wouldn't the brain signal that controls the movement not register after a while because the pathway changes over time?

[@uncharted7againblackking256]

14:03 well in technical terms that's a lot