Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ncis.llnl.gov!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!WVNVM.WVNET.EDU!U1DF1
From: U1DF1@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU ("John Neubert")
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: input devices for the computer of the future
Message-ID: <8901201826.AA08787@multimax.encore.com>
Date: 20 Jan 89 18:18:37 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 39

>Well, while we're on the subject of man machine interfaces, why not just
>wire some electrodes directly into the brain and dispense with the infinite
>variations of input devices.  This would solve the eyestrain problem, the
>machine code to ascii/ebcdic mapping, the typing problem, eliminate voice
>input issues, etc., etc.  After all the brain processes more information
>that the average speed reader could absorb.  Hust think of it, the
>ultimate form of communication - the direct transfer of thought with no
>ambiguities (or typos); in short, complete understanding; no need for the
>discrete symbol-processing system we call human language to constrain the
>analog world of thinking.  Maybe we could neural network front ends to
>powerful computers to hook up to.        ^ use

>Richard Caasi
>San Diego State University

This is not a crazy idea... and I didn't see any smilies.  I was a film
major way back when, pre-CS days.  An alternative cinema book I was
studying had a final chapter in which the author postulated the ultimate
creative cinema recorder -- brain hook up so one could record one's
thoughts or dreams.  The idea pervades much sf -- how about Spock's
brain connection?

The problems are legion (e.g., our thoughts are often random and seemingly
confused as one jumps from sometimes seemingly unrelated thoughts to
others -- or backtracks).  Language, written and spoken, seems to
slow our thinking process down enough to make sense between people.
Then again, perhaps I'm wrong on that.  Remember the computers in
The Forbin Project.  Once they agreed on the language, they "talked/
thoght" so fast between them, humans couldn't keep up.  Perhaps
two intellects could converse so fast at "thought speed" that they
could do much more than normally -- or they would get so frustrated
trying to follow the other's thought processes they'd be at each
other's throats.

Interesting concept anyway.  Micro-sensors, micro-processors, and
nanotechnology may even make it possible.

This has all been off the top of my head at "thought speed", so
take it at that.