AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a big area of research in modern computing which is slowly working its way into everyday life. From basics like Siri on your Apple Device, Amazon’s Alexa in your home through to potentially life changing AI tech from companies like Neuralink, AI will become more mainstream in the near future.
Most of us now have basic forms of AI in our pockets day to day helping with basic tasks. This comes in the form of Apple’s Siri or Google’s integrated voice assistants built into your phones and tablets. These use machine learning and AI to assist with basic tasks like setting alarms, reminders, appointments and answering questions through web lookups.
Within the home AI tech like Google Home or Amazons’ Alexa integrated devices utilise AI to simplify home automation and control. They can actively monitor room temperatures and adjust thermostats, control lighting and power sockets in a preconfigured manner or themselves to make it look like someone is home. You can use AI controlled systems in the home to order directly from suppliers like Amazon for delivery simply by speaking to the system, have music follow you from room to room based on voice recognition.
However by far the most interesting use of modern AI research is currently being undertaken by Neuralink, a company run by Tesla’s Elon Musk. They are working on AI systems to map brain control signals which allow the body to move and function. Their systems allow a unit implanted in the skull with probes in the brain to monitor movement and brain signals with the AI system being able to learn these signals and interpret them to control external systems. Currently in early testing and development they are making leaps and bounds in this. This could have massive medical benefits to people with spinal column injuries, nerve damage, paralysis or limb loss. By allowing the signals to be read from the implant by the brain and accurately relayed to the existing limbs or muscles in the case of spinal column injuries, or to a prosthetic limb in an amputee, movement could be restored giving a new lease of life to someone. The clever part is the AI system means it is self-learning, the system can learn through movement or thought although the final implementation and setup is still a bit off.
There is a short video showing this in use on Neuralink’s Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsCul1sp4hQ&ab_channel=Neuralink