progress toward making a brain machine interface. So what has changed in the time since we were

朝著製造腦機接口的方向發展。那麼，在這段時間裡，我們有什麼變化呢？

first introduced to Neuralink over year ago, and where does the company see themselves

一年多前第一次接觸到Neuralink，該公司的發展方向是什麼？

going from here? A brain machine interface or BMI is just what

從這裡開始？腦機接口或者說BMI是什麼？

it sounds like, a machine that can interface with a brain. BMIs have potential uses helping

聽起來像是一臺能與大腦連接的機器。BMI的潛在用途是幫助

the disabled move robotic limbs or even helping able bodied people use computers and devices

殘障人士的肢體移動，甚至幫助健全人使用電腦和設備。

in newer and faster ways. There are a few approaches to making a BMI, and Neuralink's

以更新更快的方式。有幾種方法來製作BMI，而Neuralink的

uses electrodes on strands just a few micrometers thick that are threaded in between neurons

在神經元之間穿行的只有幾微米厚的線上使用的電極

to read their activity. Neuralink's latest BMI still relies on those threads but otherwise

來閱讀他們的活動。Neuralink最新的BMI仍然依賴於這些線程，但除此之外

looks radically different from how it first appeared. The rats that sported earlier iterations

看起來與它最初出現的樣子完全不同。早期的老鼠們的運動方式

had a USB-C port sticking out of their heads that sent information gathered by electrodes

有一個USB-C端口伸出他們的頭，發送信息收集的電極。

to outside devices. Eventually, the goal was to have completely implanted chips communicating

到外部設備。最終，我們的目標是讓完全植入的芯片與外界設備進行通信。

wirelessly with an outside device sitting behind the ear. The latest device is much

與坐在耳後的外部設備進行無線連接。最新的設備是多

more simplified. Dubbed Link V0.9, it measures 23 mm by 8 mm, about the size of a chunky coin.

更加簡化。它被稱為Link V0.9，尺寸為23毫米×8毫米，和一枚厚重的硬幣差不多大小。

Rather than residing entirely in the skull,

而不是完全居住在頭骨中。

Link V0.9 actually replaces a piece of it. Once a hole has been drilled and the electrodes

Link V0.9實際上是替換了一塊。一旦鑽了一個孔，並且電極

are threaded into the brain, the disk-shaped BMI fills in the gap and the skin is super

被穿入大腦，盤狀的BMI填補了空隙，皮膚超

glued over it. No, I do mean it's super glued over it, not joking. Anyway when it's all said

粘在上面。不，我的意思是說，它是超級粘在上面的，不是開玩笑的。總之，當它的所有說

and done, the only evidence that a person is now a cyborg is a tiny scar which can be

唯一能證明一個人現在是機械人的證據就是一個小小的疤痕，可以

hidden by hair. Each link has 1024 channels to monitor neural activity and compresses

由頭髮隱藏。每條鏈路有1024個通道來監測神經活動，並壓縮了

and sends data to a device like a phone at a rate of megabits per second. A person could

並以每秒兆比特的速度向手機等設備發送數據。一個人可以

even have multiple links depending on their needs and if they're ok with having a skull

甚至有多個鏈接，這取決於他們的需求，如果他們不介意有一個頭骨。

that looks like swiss cheese. Though the Neuralink researchers aren't

這看起來像瑞士奶酪。雖然Neuralink的研究人員並沒有

too concerned about replacing bits of skull with their devices. They say that since bone's

太擔心用他們的設備替換頭骨的碎片。他們說，由於骨頭的

properties are well understood it's not hard to design something that can withstand

的特性，要設計出能承受的東西並不難。

whatever situations a normal skull might see. To demonstrate their latest prototype worked

無論正常頭骨可能看到的任何情況。為了證明他們最新的原型工作

and was robust enough to handle a rough-and-tumble lifestyle, Neuralink introduced a pig named

並足以應對粗暴的生活方式，Neuralink推出了一款名為 "豬 "的產品。

Gertrude. Gertrude had a Link V0.9 installed two months prior, and her device monitored

格特魯德。Gertrude在兩個月前安裝了Link V0.9，她的設備監測到了

neurons that represented her snout. Whenever Gertrude sniffed food or a handler touched

代表她的鼻子的神經元。每當格特魯德嗅到食物或馴獸師碰觸時

her snout, a screen showed activity in her brain spiking, while making little beeps and boops.

她的鼻子，屏幕顯示活動 在她的大腦尖峰， 同時發出小嗶嗶聲和繁榮。

Neuralink started testing with pigs because

Neuralink開始用豬進行測試是因為

of their similar skull thickness and membrane makeup to humans. But there were some unexpected

的頭骨厚度和膜構成與人類相似。但也有一些意想不到的

benefits, like the fact that they bump into things constantly which Musk said was a good

的好處，比如他們會不斷地撞到東西，馬斯克說這是一個很好的。

demonstration of the device's integrity. And pigs can be trained to walk on treadmills.

證明該設備的完整性。而且可以訓練豬在跑步機上行走。

This allows the researchers to read neurons dealing with moving joints. Based on the readings,

這使得研究人員能夠讀取處理移動關節的神經元。根據讀取的數據。

they could predict accurately where the joints would move. Technology like that could be

他們可以準確預測關節的移動位置。這樣的技術可以是

huge for paraplegic and tetraplegic people. Musk reasons that because people who are paralized

對於截癱和四肢癱瘓的人來說是巨大的。馬斯克的理由是，因為癱瘓的人。

due to a spine injury have effectively had the connection between their brain and their

由於脊柱受傷，他們的大腦和他們的身體之間的連接已經有效地。

limbs severed, their device could help people walk again by decoding movement impulses and

他們的設備可以通過解碼運動脈衝和幫助人們重新行走。

transmitting them to the other side of the break.

將它們傳送到斷裂的另一邊。

While miraculously making people walk again is an incredible goal, Neuralink's aims

雖然奇蹟般地讓人們重新行走是一個不可思議的目標，但Neuralink的目標是

go far beyond that. The device can also send impulses to the neurons so some employees

遠遠不止這些。該設備還可以向神經元發送脈衝，是以一些員工的

imagine it treating a whole host of brain disorders. Musk, ever the futurist, pictures

想象一下，它可以治療一系列的腦部疾病。馬斯克，永遠的未來主義者，圖片。

the technology could be used for storing memories, downloading them into robots, or communicating

該技術可用於存儲記憶，將其下載到機器人中，或進行通信。

at high speed with AI. Those are pretty lofty ambitions and there

與人工智能的高速發展。這些都是相當高遠的目標，而且有

are a lot of hurdles to clear between here and the future Musk pictures. The device needs

在這裡和未來馬斯克圖片之間有很多障礙需要清除。該設備需要

to be tested in humans, though the FDA has granted Neuralink breakthrough device designation,

要在人體中進行測試，儘管FDA已經授予Neuralink突破性設備的稱號。

moving them closer to human trials. The machine that weaves the threads into the

使它們更接近人類的試驗。這臺機器將線編織成了一個個的 "大 "字。

brain looks sleeker and more medical than it did last year, but it's still limited

腦看起來比去年更時尚，更醫療，但它仍然是有限的

to implanting electrodes into the cortex and can't go deeper yet. And then there's

到植入皮層的電極，還不能深入。還有就是

the barrier that is our own understanding of how the human brain works. We'll have

障礙是我們自己對人類大腦如何工作的理解。我們將不得不

to learn more about the language of neurons to be able to decode their spikes and techno-beeps

瞭解更多關於神經元的語言，以便能夠解碼它們的尖峰和技術性嗶嗶聲。

into something meaningful and we are very far away from that. Ironically the researchers

成有意義的東西，而我們離這一點非常遙遠。具有諷刺意味的是，研究人員

at Neuralink suggested their device, that can actually be inside the brain and monitoring

在Neuralink公司建議他們的設備，實際上可以在大腦內和監測

activity, could be just the thing that pushes our understanding of the human brain to new

活動，可能正是將我們對人腦的理解推向新的階段的東西。

heights. While some expected more from this presentation,

的高度。雖然有些人對這次演講抱有更多期待。

it's still progress. Based on what Neuralink has achieved with about 100 employees, it'll

這還是進步。根據Neuralink公司在100名員工的基礎上取得的成績，它將會

be interesting to see where the technology is another year from now as the company grows.

有意思的是，隨著公司的發展，再過一年就能看到技術的發展。

The Link V0.9 uses a battery that Musk claims will last all day and can be charged wirelessly

Link V0.9使用的電池，馬斯克稱可以持續一整天，並且可以無線充電。

overnight. How wireless charging on something embedded in your skull will work, I'm not

一夜之間。嵌入頭骨的東西上的無線充電怎麼用，我不知道

exactly sure, but I like to picture Neuralink will develop some kind of pillow too, which

確切地確定，但我喜歡想象Neuralink將開發某種枕頭了，這。

will bring new meaning to the term “power nap”.

將為 "動力小睡 "一詞帶來新的含義。

If you'd like to see what Neuralink's original concept looked like, check out this

如果你想看看Neuralink最初的概念是什麼樣子的，請看這個

video I did on it a year ago. So is this something you'd stay away from or would you sign up

我一年前做的視頻。所以，這是什麼 你會遠離 或者你會註冊

to be one of the first transhumanist cyborgs? Let us know in the comments, don't forget

成為首批超人類主義電子人之一？請在評論中告訴我們，不要忘了。

to subscribe, and I'll see you next time on Seeker.

訂閱，我們下次在《探索者》見。