Connecting Your Mind to a Computer

Ever wondered how we could connect our minds to a computer? The idea has been around in science fiction for a long time, and the desire to see into one’s own mind is as ancient as humanity’s ability to think and reason.

Some researchers speculate that we may be able to map an entire human brain within the next 100 years. This effort is known as the Connectome. While the Connectome aims for a faithful mapping of every detail of the brain, what if we do not actually need all the details?

Brain simulation is an alternative to full brain emulation via the Connectome. By using partial datasets, some from connectomics, but others from fMRI, EEG, fNIRS, PET, or even more invasive BCI implants, we could train AI models to behave, while not exactly, reliably, like an individual brain.

This concept of creating an AI model of the brain using neurophysiological data could be called a Large Brain Model (LBM). The potential use cases of LBMs are interesting. One near-term application is building personalized brain maps to better understand mental illness. More aspirational possibilities include linking a Large Language Model (LLM) with an LBM, allowing us to ask questions through language directly of our own brain data, both conscious and unconscious, and truly see inside the mind.

This is an area I am researching into right now. Join me for a short video on this topic.