Just when I was thinking of spending $325 on one of the revived IBM Model F Buckling Spring Keyboards...

https://www.techworm.net/2017/07/us-...computers.html

Why doesn't the US Taxpayer have something to say in authorizing this pork?

Too many people have already taken the blue pill.

Them ones that were allowed a say in the last election ?. Heaven forbid.
If DARPA was under closer scrutiny by bean counters and such, we wouldn't have an internet.

Be careful what you wish for.

Right. Sheep can only baaa... https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post5735869

I've never voted for a "person" (minds\popularity change) and never will, only policies; voting on which should be mandatory for all but things like the electoral vote will see to that!

I'd find this laughable if it weren't also a bit tawdry and sad. The title of this thread, and that taken directly from the Techworm article linked, using a comparison to "The Matrix" should be a warning that this is sensationalist "journalism" preying on FUD to gain attention and is likely to be negative in POV. The most basic error is that in this case "Mind Control" is not control of peoples' minds but peoples' minds controlling devices. Most will agree that is a rather important distinction since controlling devices is easy while controlling minds is way beyond our understanding excepting mass influence such as in advertising. That is a "shotgun" approach that hopes if the spread is wide enough, the odds are that someone will be in the right frame of mind to respond as hoped, but it is still entirely based on what that person or those individuals have as predisposition.

It has been awhile now that one can buy EEG sensors for around $60 USD which have gained some minor traction at the early stages of providing a computer interface like "mind mouse" for disabled people. It is extremely early and rudimentary at this stage of development though one can find hacker instructions to pull a board from, for example, a Star Wars Force trainer headset and use it to interface with any manner of devices via something like the amazing and Open Source Arduino to build prototypes and control them.

Whether the military gets involved or not, this sort of technology will be explored since the possibilities are so immense. At the very least, typing is slow and sometimes approaches the threshold of pain. The military hopes that the latency between human/machine interface when things get very fast such as in jet fighters can be reduced and possibly also that the lives of injured vets can be improved. This technology is by far not inherently evil. Just as a simple hammer can be used to build a home or cave someone's skull in, anything useful can generally be used for evil purposes IF a person is so disposed (both meanings there, sorry). That's why we have laws and social morays.

This is not pork, not inherently evil but IS unstoppable. This is going to happen and evolve and it is simply up to good people to see that the good vastly outweighs the bad. I'm reasonably certain that Samurai hated the introduction of guns just as buggy whip makers hated the advent of the automobile but such movements have a life of their own since people will always seek advantage. There's nothing new or particularly disturbing about that. A few visitors here seem to need to "get a grip".

I think you all know the moral of the story.

Neural implants that can enable communication between the brain and digital systems has nothing to do with "mind control" in the classic sense. Perhaps you were so put off that it came from Techworm that you didn't actually read the article.

Techworm does pull a lot of their material from other sites but is usually where I go to see it. That article was pulled from Dailymail. At Techworm I don't need to wade through articles about somebody's marriage, Miley Cirus, or what the Kardiashains are wearing to read it.

It may be worth your while to look into one of the revived IBM keyboards I mentioned if your hands/fingers get tired from typing. I've used the classic models before and they're very nice. Spring assisted so your fingers just fly.

Being a fan and owner of much Japanese cinema, might I suggest When the Last Sword is Drawn if you want to see how the Samurai reacted to the introduction of English tactics and guns. It's a great movie.

As far as that goes, I'm a fan of the Matrix trilogy, too. Hence my interest in the article.

I, too, am a fan of both The Matrix Trilogy as well as original IBM mechanical keyboards. About 20 years ago my Son asked me what I wanted for my Birthday and the IBM is what it was and what he got for me. I loved it and wore off many of the key letters which didn't slow me down much since I rarely look... but then I got a bit spoiled by wireless keyboards with larger keys. I bought a Steel Series mechanical which reminded me of my IBM but found I now feel cramped on normal, smaller keys I'm glad you brought it up though as people should be aware of alternatives and if one spends a lot of time typing, the cost isn't so bad once one feels how superb mechanical is.

I'm also glad you created this thread as it is an exciting technology with possibly revolutionary consequences that deserves discussion. My post was just to promote approaching such a subject with less fear and trepidation.

The times, they are a'changin'. Right?

The first time I ever used an IBM mechanical keyboard was at the local library in a room that housed several computers with several other people around. Being a fairly fast typist I was having a blast popping those keys, really going to town on it and could see the people in my area all gawking at me.

I only have laptops now but when I play games I use a Logitech mechanical keyboard. It's nothing like the IBM though and I'd love to have one to go with my Thinkpads.

I used to think that until I spent a day working in a Faraday cage, for some reason a lot of my opinions changed that day. I'm gradually returning to my old ideas though.

(Sorry, I just thought someone had better say it. )


Seriously though, I agree that devices measuring and responding to brain activity are likely to have a lot of benefits, though I'm not sure about actually implanting the sensors, especially in or near the brain. I'd rather go the EEG-like route, with sensors in a cap, even if that requires more user effort/training. That's partly to avoid the inevitable, though hopefully rare, complications of any surgery, and partly for the same reasons I like open source: Ease of inspection, maintenance, and replacement. Plus, it seems to me that the safest way for any implant to communicate with the outside would be wirelessly, and low-powered radio emissions are notoriously easy to interfere with. So some military users might actually need a "foil hat" with the device pick-ups inside it to avoid interference.

Hmmmm I wonder if anyone has done any experiments on the effect on humans inside Faraday cages? It might be hard to rule out such things as expectations but I'd imagine over time, monitoring EEG etc. that could be eliminated for a raw comparison. We know so little about Consciousness and the amount of invisible "stuff" around us so immense the data should be at least interesting.

only the too rich to pay taxes have anything to say about what the U.S. government dose

While I certainly understand the frustration, not to mention the actual realities that cause such reactions it is dangerous to court this kind of thinking as any sort of given or absolute since it is obvious that voting does make some difference. If it didn't those very rich of which you speak wouldn't work so hard and spend so much to influence the vote. In the last election it is rather interesting that Trump has an important voter base among lower income people that made his win possible even though it should be obvious who he champions and it surely ain't them, with the possible exception of single issues, most of which were just typical empty campaign promises. designed as a hook.

So-many different kinds of blind*"*"* aquaponics, anyone‽

Again, not (here) that I simply digress just added the bit about irony(*)... don't ask, tell.