Synthetic Super-Brains, Human-Robot Melding And Immortality
Artificial Intelligence Technology May Soon Lead to the Downloading and Transfer of Human Consciousness

Ivan Grgas / www.newpatriots.net : May 7, 2007

The speed and scope of new technological advances is increasingly difficult to fully grasp, especially as this technology seems to defy common precepts and becomes more and more reminiscent of fantastic science fiction. News of momentous new technological breakthroughs is naturally exciting or at the very least, an interesting read, but in current times one is quickly sobered by the thought of what these technologies will be used for. In this era of increased concentrated and centralized power in the hands of government and corporate controllers, the prospect of using technology for the improvement of mankind dims and is replaced by the realization that it will likely serve to solidify the control mechanisms for those in power.

Robotics and the development of artificial intelligence has become a major focus for many scientists, institutions and the funders backing them. One important example of amazing technological advances is the ‘Creativity Machine’ developed by Imagination Engines Inc., headed by nuclear physicist Dr. Stephen Thaler. Thaler and his team have been able to create a machine that mimics the creative thought process of humans. This ‘synthetic brain’ has reportedly been credited with a host of inventions and even musical compositions. On its website, IEI boasts that its ‘creativity machine’ is currently being employed in a host of research and development projects in collaboration with both private and government entities. A few notable examples include a project with the Air Force Research Laboratory to use synthetic creativity for designing weapons and warheads to neutralize deeply buried targets. Another project is funded by the TSA and, in collaboration with Montana Tech, is researching the use of this artificial intelligence to direct a central network of ‘advanced vision systems’ for airport security in Butte, Montana. Not only are we facing the prospect of more high tech surveillance and intrusiveness in every aspect of our daily lives, but we can soon expect to have all the street cameras, microphones, biometric scanning systems, GPS systems and other devices that can be used to track our lives, being controlled by a self-aware robotic super-brain.

Another growing trend is the use of mechanical systems that are designed to interact with the human brain in order to enhance or control human abilities and behavior. This type of technology has been in use for quite some time in various secretive government experiments and black operations, but is now becoming known to the general public in the form of gadgets for military applications in the war on terror. One significant example is known as “Luke’s Binoculars”, developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. This device gets its name from Luke Skywalker’s high-tech binoculars in the Star Wars film series. This DARPA creation is reportedly ten times more powerful than any binoculars publicly available today, and will allow the user to see up to a distance of 10,000 meters. The most amazing aspect of the device is not its optical abilities, but the fact that it literally taps into the wearer’s prefrontal cortex to enhance the ability of the conscious brain to see threats. Apparently research has shown that the human prefrontal cortex is highly evolved and extremely adept at sensing dangers, and ‘Luke’s Binoculars’ are designed with electrodes that monitor neurological activity in that part of the brain. By tapping directly into our instinctual danger sensors in the brain and bypassing regular thought process, this device is able to relay information about possible threats to the wearer much quicker than the unaided human brain. This type of electronic interface with the brain raises questions about the level of existing mind manipulation technology that is kept secret from the general public, as well as the possible long-term effects and hazards this technology may pose.

The ability to synthetically develop creativity and thought by imitating the neural structure of the human brain has opened the door to countless possible applications as well as prompting challenging philosophical, ethical and even spiritual questions. A combination of artificial intelligence and brain interface technology may soon lead to the development of something akin to the downloading, storage and transfer of the human mind. One such controversial venture currently being undertaken by IEI is In Its Image Inc. The following excerpt is the corporation’s own description of itself and its goals.

In Its Image Incorporated is a California non-profit corporation that is literally dedicated to saving everyone's lives. Its primary mission is to achieve life extension through the melding of human consciousness with a radically new kind of machine intelligence. Its secondary mission is to demonstrate the plausibility of achieving this profound purpose, and in so doing, fund the main objective of immortality.

At first glance, the idea may seem like part of an outrageous script for a Twilight Zone episode, but In Its Image Inc. claims to be a mere generation away from attaining immortality through the ability to transfer human consciousness. IEI’s ‘creativity machine’ was conceived by artificially imitating the human brain’s neural functions and In Its Image Inc. plans to be able to use a much more advanced version of its current artificial neural network in this hunt for immortality. This artificial neural network will be able to not only work in sync with the human brain but be able to act as a storage vehicle for all aspects of brain function and therefore store and transfer a person’s consciousness. This implies that as bodies die off, theoretically, minds can be stored and transferred to other bodies or artificial neural networks. Therefore not only will there be a future super-brain tracking and controlling humanity’s movement but it may also come equipped with a Rothschild or Rockefeller personality. Now that’s something to look forward to!