Early human augmentation startups used Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) to create wearable devices that could induce specific mental states. One version acted as a stimulant, like "digital caffeine," while another induced relaxation, like "digital cannabis," by delivering low-voltage electricity to specific brain regions.
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The performance ceiling for non-invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) is rising dramatically, not from better sensors, but from advanced AI. New models can extract high-fidelity signals from noisy data collected outside the skull, potentially making surgical implants like Neuralink unnecessary for sophisticated use cases.
The sci-fi allure of brain implants and embedded chips often overshadows practical alternatives. Ariel Poler argues that most desired functionalities, from interfacing with AI to carrying identification, can be achieved with less invasive external devices like advanced hearables or wearables, questioning the necessity of risky surgical augmentation for healthy individuals.
The next frontier for Neuralink is "blindsight," restoring vision by stimulating the brain. The primary design challenge isn't just technical; it's creating a useful visual representation with very few "pixels" of neural stimulation. The problem is akin to designing a legible, life-like image using Atari-level graphics.
While current brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are for medical patients, the timeline for healthy individuals to augment their brains is rapidly approaching. A child who is five years old today might see the first healthy human augmentations before they graduate high school, signaling a near-term, transformative shift for society.
A common neurofeedback technique involves a user watching a movie that only plays when their brain produces desired brainwaves for focus. When they get distracted, the screen shrinks and the movie stops, providing instant feedback that trains the brain to self-correct and maintain attention.
Neurofeedback is a non-invasive training method that reflects the brain's own electrical activity back to it. This teaches self-regulation and optimization without introducing external energy or compounds, making it a form of biofeedback specifically for the brain.
Ferriss highlights Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive protocol involving 10 sessions a day for five days. He describes it as a powerful, safe treatment for severe conditions like treatment-resistant depression. For him, it resulted in four to five months of zero anxiety, an effect he calls "incomprehensible."
New artificial neurons operate at the same low voltage as human ones (~0.1 volts). This breakthrough eliminates the need for external power sources for prosthetics and brain interfaces, paving the way for seamless, self-powered integration of technology with the human body.
Tim Ferriss found combining accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) with the antibiotic D-cycloserine (DCS) made a single day of treatment as effective as a full week. DCS, a cognitive enhancer, appears to increase neuroplasticity, making the brain more receptive to stimulation and dramatically reducing treatment time.
By selectively blocking light from the outer part of your visual field, you can preferentially stimulate the opposite brain hemisphere. Blocking the right eye's lateral vision stimulates the left hemisphere (focus), while blocking the left eye's lateral vision stimulates the right (relaxation).
