Finding a way to connect brains to computers is a long - assay goal of scientists .   Of some of   the advantages promised by this partnership , we can now add improved store .

As reported inNew Scientist , researchers from the University of Southern California have find that by using their implant , they could improve participant ' memory functioning by up to 30 percent . The event , presented at the Society of Neuroscience group meeting in Washington DC last weekend , are from the first human visitation of such a machine .

The squad implanted the “ memory prosthetic gadget ” in 20 volunteers . These people were already receiving   electrode in their brain to handle their epilepsy , so adding the extra system did not need an additional procedure . The tests   were done in two office : First the team call for Einstein natural process information on the subjects as they learned . Then , they   had the   implant rush the same area of the learning ability that lit up during the original computer memory test . The trial was a round-eyed short - term memory boosting utilisation .

“ We are drop a line the neural code to raise computer storage subroutine , ” Dong Song of the University of Southern California , who pose the findings , toldNew Scientist . “ This has never been done before . ”

The implant is there to tone the normal pathways the brain utilize to create a memory board . Whenever we encounter a stimulus from the outside public , a series of complex electrical signal jaunt through several realm of the hippocampus , the memory core of the brainpower . As it fall through this   region , the sign is vary to something different and can be   sent off to the long - term memory monument .

The implant is but mimic what the hippocampus by nature does . In doing so , it ’s supercharge the memory potentiality of the individuals . This does n’t mean we understand what ’s being encoded . Before the human trial started , the researchers describedthe processas accurately translate Spanish to French without address either lyric .

This twist could have applications for the great unwashed who suffer from longsighted - term - retentivity loss , such as patients living with Alzheimer ’s disease . It is still very former days , but it is interesting that such a technology is being develop in the first place .

[ H / T : New Scientist ]