The monkey and the mechanical arm

[Badger]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/03/24/health.robotics.reut/index.html

I find this article interesting on three fronts.

The first is, obviously, the applications for paraplegics, etc.

The second is that maybe I'll eventually be able to have that prehensile tail I've often needed. I'm being somewhat facetious, but I wonder about the ability for people to add appendages or tools to themselves in the future.

The third point has to do with the implications of relative consciousness of primates. It stated that the test subject learned to move the arm without having to mimic the motion with it's own body. In my opinion, this shows a remarkable grasp of symbolism.

 

[El Greco]

It is one of those steps that fill me with hope for the future of humanity. This could develop into prosthetic devices that will almost eliminate wheelchairs.

 

[SquishyDave]

The third point has to do with the implications of relative consciousness of primates. It stated that the test subject learned to move the arm without having to mimic the motion with it's own body. In my opinion, this shows a remarkable grasp of symbolism.

Is the monkey really grasping symbolism? Or is the brain just adapting as brains can do? I just saw a show were human children where having half their brain removed, and they recovered fully, after relearning a bunch of junk.

Could not the monkey's brain just be adapting to this new situation in a similar way to if it had brain damage, forming new connections to accomplish a task needed to get yummy food?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it isn't getting symbolism, just presenting other possibilities, as we skeptics tend to do.

On the acutal topic, I would just wait until they could replace my arms and legs ala 6 million dollar man, extra robot arms sound good, but I have the feeling they would get in the way.

 

[davidhorman]

I just saw a show were human children where having half their brain removed, and they recovered fully, after relearning a bunch of junk.

They'll do anything for ratings.

Seriously though, can you tell us more? Why was the operation necessary? Was it just damaged portions or an entire hemisphere that was removed? How old were the kids?

David

 

[Blue Monk]

The second is that maybe I'll eventually be able to have that prehensile tail I've often needed. I'm being somewhat facetious, but I wonder about the ability for people to add appendages or tools to themselves in the future.

Same here.

I've always wanted to have both hands free to hold the magazine.

 

[Wrath of the Swarm]

This doesn't imply the monkey grasps symbolism, merely that monkey brains are capable of learning to associate patterns of activation with the movement of the arm.

 

[SquishyDave]

They'll do anything for ratings.

Seriously though, can you tell us more? Why was the operation necessary? Was it just damaged portions or an entire hemisphere that was removed? How old were the kids?

David

I can indeed tell you more, fellow David.

The operation was considered neccessary because the children had severe seizures that would cause their death before they were ten or some such dramatic thing, so there was really nothing to loose.

They took the whole hemisphere, or almost all of it, just went in there with an ice cream scoop ala simpsons and took it out, or perhaps they were more careful, they didn't show us that bit.

The Kids were under 5 I think, they were easily able to cope, but they had to do it on a 10 year old, and they took the half of his brain that, among other things, held his language centre, he had to relearn english because they literally cut it out of his head, I saw footage of him shown a picture of a coffe cup, and he was saying, "Coffee, drink" but couldn't quite remember that it was a cup, but in the end he said "glass", and that was close enough for the examiner, but they were confident that he would recover completely as well.

Adults don't cope as well with this whole hacking bits out of our brains, I saw another show were this lady had big seizures, so she opted to have the two halfs of her brains separated from each other, they sort of just cut down the middle, this stopped her seizures, but sometimes, for instance, when she was picking out what socks to wear, she would reach for the pair she wanted, but without her knowing about it, her other hand was picking up a different pair, the other half of her brain had apparently made a different decision. Freaky.

The practical upshot of all this, would seem to be if you put a prehensile robot tail on a kid they would adapt far easier than us set in our ways adults.