I AM going to mention autism today, but later in the post, so just hang on. We saw the author of this book, Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, on The Colbert Report the other night. (Note: Right now, The Colbert Report > Daily Show - Colbert's writers are brilliant.) From the publisher's promo: "In this stunning and inspiring work, Duke University neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis shares his revolutionary insights into how the brain creates thought and the human sense of self—and how this might be augmented by machines, so that the entire universe will be within our reach." And while I truly and honestly DO want paralyzed people to walk again by utilizing a brain/computer connection and an Ironman-esque suit (one of the applications Nicolelis brought up)...if researchers are able to dig into the brain and figure out what impulse leads to what movement and so forth... Why in the hell can't someone, somewhere figure out what's up with this whole autism thing? And FIX IT immediately if not sooner? In blurbs I've read about Beyond Boundaries, I see mentions of things like: "Imagine living in a world where people use their computers, drive their cars, and communicate with one another simply by thinking," (from Daily Kos) and while this sounds pretty fantastical and eerily like a couple of Dean Koontz novels I've read, it's certainly a positive thing in theory, especially vis a vis quadriplegics being able to move again. How about let's also imagine a world where someone figures out how to fix the crazy wiring in brains wracked and jumbled by autism? See, in my head I'm now hearing that last sentence being read by Movie Trailer Voiceover Guy. You know the one I mean... "In a world where people turn on their coffeemakers, set their TiVo's, and balance their checkbooks...just by THINKING about it..." Heh.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Guidance Systems Break Down
So...I lied. I AM going to mention autism today, but later in the post, so just hang on. We saw the author of this book, Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, on The Colbert Report the other night. (Note: Right now, The Colbert Report > Daily Show - Colbert's writers are brilliant.) From the publisher's promo: "In this stunning and inspiring work, Duke University neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis shares his revolutionary insights into how the brain creates thought and the human sense of self—and how this might be augmented by machines, so that the entire universe will be within our reach." And while I truly and honestly DO want paralyzed people to walk again by utilizing a brain/computer connection and an Ironman-esque suit (one of the applications Nicolelis brought up)...if researchers are able to dig into the brain and figure out what impulse leads to what movement and so forth... Why in the hell can't someone, somewhere figure out what's up with this whole autism thing? And FIX IT immediately if not sooner? In blurbs I've read about Beyond Boundaries, I see mentions of things like: "Imagine living in a world where people use their computers, drive their cars, and communicate with one another simply by thinking," (from Daily Kos) and while this sounds pretty fantastical and eerily like a couple of Dean Koontz novels I've read, it's certainly a positive thing in theory, especially vis a vis quadriplegics being able to move again. How about let's also imagine a world where someone figures out how to fix the crazy wiring in brains wracked and jumbled by autism? See, in my head I'm now hearing that last sentence being read by Movie Trailer Voiceover Guy. You know the one I mean... "In a world where people turn on their coffeemakers, set their TiVo's, and balance their checkbooks...just by THINKING about it..." Heh.
I AM going to mention autism today, but later in the post, so just hang on. We saw the author of this book, Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, on The Colbert Report the other night. (Note: Right now, The Colbert Report > Daily Show - Colbert's writers are brilliant.) From the publisher's promo: "In this stunning and inspiring work, Duke University neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis shares his revolutionary insights into how the brain creates thought and the human sense of self—and how this might be augmented by machines, so that the entire universe will be within our reach." And while I truly and honestly DO want paralyzed people to walk again by utilizing a brain/computer connection and an Ironman-esque suit (one of the applications Nicolelis brought up)...if researchers are able to dig into the brain and figure out what impulse leads to what movement and so forth... Why in the hell can't someone, somewhere figure out what's up with this whole autism thing? And FIX IT immediately if not sooner? In blurbs I've read about Beyond Boundaries, I see mentions of things like: "Imagine living in a world where people use their computers, drive their cars, and communicate with one another simply by thinking," (from Daily Kos) and while this sounds pretty fantastical and eerily like a couple of Dean Koontz novels I've read, it's certainly a positive thing in theory, especially vis a vis quadriplegics being able to move again. How about let's also imagine a world where someone figures out how to fix the crazy wiring in brains wracked and jumbled by autism? See, in my head I'm now hearing that last sentence being read by Movie Trailer Voiceover Guy. You know the one I mean... "In a world where people turn on their coffeemakers, set their TiVo's, and balance their checkbooks...just by THINKING about it..." Heh.
No comments:
Post a Comment