How many sci-fi fantasies are no longer fiction? Or at most, how much of sci-fi fantasy is now a normal part of our daily lives? While there are still many theories about distant reality, other ideas such as mind control technology may not be as exaggerated as we think. Military personnel could soon use brain-implanted nanotechnology to arm themselves on the other side of the world, according to a recent article in The Conversation.

Some tiny computer chips can even affect the user’s behavior by inhibiting the production of hormones associated with fear and anxiety. All this is possible if the brain signals are decoded and sent to an external device. These technologies are called brain-computer interfaces. These devices represent a future where the user simply has to think of an action or command and it will be made a reality through a brain chip.

Brain-computer interfaces are currently being tested – and for quite altruistic purposes indeed. The Conversation reports that the technology is used for people with neurological injuries such as spinal cord injuries or neuromuscular diseases. Small chips implanted in patients’ brains help them overcome daily life, mobility and communication challenges, such as moving the mouse on the tablet with their thoughts.

It is not difficult to support the concept of brain-computer interface technology that helps a patient with severe ALS communicate with his family, but using the same technology to guide alien missiles during a military operation or to dispel fear, anxiety or uncertainty is a war mission. . this is another story entirely. The potential cost to mental health and morale is also only one side of the coin. The frightening idea proposed by The Conversation adds that the widespread use of brain-computer interfaces could lead to a new field of brain hacking, leading to thought theft and behavioral hijacking.

According to The Conversation, US soldiers may be using devices in their brains to communicate with each other and their commanders by 2050, but where will the limits of communication be and will participation be required? The bioethicists and neuroscientists who wrote the article in The Conversation point out that, from a certain point of view, brain-computer interface technology is not morally different from other brain-altering practices such as caffeine consumption. But on the other hand, caffeine isn’t used to succeed in battles and wars by a mighty army, the most powerful in the world, despite the disturbing sci-fi technology of the hive mind.

This technology in medicine has unlimited potential. According to the book Brain-Computer Interfaces: Principles and Practice, brain-computer interface implants can be used in people with attention disorders by triggering events in the brain that promote focus. People with visual impairments can rely on this technology to send signals to the brain about visual perception (obstacles, lights, etc.).

But as the technology becomes more widely accepted, the uses will certainly not be limited to the medical or military fields. It didn’t take long for the private sector to throw their hats into the brain interface technology market. Most notable is Neuralink, another Elon Musk startup reportedly working on a brain implant device that will allow users to communicate between minds (first human trials are coming sooner than you might expect). Brain-computer interface chips say Brain-Computer Interface, which supports activities such as video games, Internet surfing or artistic hobbies and self-expression, can even benefit daily life enrichment.