A new type of brain implant allows dramatically improve a person's memory

  You can not remember his old friend? In this case, you can help to stimulate certain areas of the brain using a new implant, developed by researchers at DARPA. These implants are tiny electrode array placed in certain areas will not only restore the system memory and to regain lost memories. Their use will dramatically improve the operation of human memory and allow to perform tricks such as instant training, as has been demonstrated in a series of science-fiction movie "The Matrix."

Research leading to the development of implants accompanying hardware and software have been started with a group of volunteers who have agreed to install the electrode arrays. It should be noted that all these patients underwent brain surgery, the need for which was caused by illness not related to memory, or injury.

An array of electrodes were placed in areas of the brain responsible for short term memory, spatial memory and orientation of a person in the space. In early studies, scientists produced detailed records neural activity in a time when the memory of the person formed new memories and when extracted from it already in there memories. Deciphering the entire picture of the activities and understand the operation of parts of the brain, scientists have found out what signals need to submit to the brain to influence certain groups of neurons, which was intended to improve a person's memory.

Since that time, it became possible to implement some of the miracles in the style of "The Matrix" Remember how the main character Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, have been downloaded from a remote computer skills in martial arts and skills of piloting the helicopter. The program RAM Replay DARPA researchers are also trying to recreate something similar. Usually complex skills acquired by man as a result of multiple repetitions of certain actions, enshrined in his memory on the reflex level. But the special influence exerted by the implant, will speed up this process many times. And it can be done at times when a person is sleeping or performing other actions. It's all happening still not as fast as in "The Matrix," but it can already be considered as a first approximation to the ultimate goal

"Technology manufacture implantable devices are improving day by day. In parallel with this, we learn more and more new stimulation of the brain, whereby we are able to increase the therapeutic effect of the other methods of treatment of a neurological disease" - says Justin Sanchez (Justin Sanchez ), one of the leaders of the program DARPA RAM Replay, - "And we will soon get the opportunity not only to help the wounded soldiers and people with severe neurological disorders. Such technology can be an invaluable aid to people who will need to quickly acquire new knowledge or skills in the event of a critical situation when working in different conditions, for example, on the seafloor, in the air or in space during the flight to other planets. "