The most remarkable innovations happening now are in the area of brain science. But the most remarkable thing of all is that the brain is relatively unremarkable. Here's why: The brain is understandable. Most people think of the brain as something beyond our comprehension, but that's not the case. The brain is nothing more than a biological machine: a complex network of neurons that communicate with one another. Similarly, the Internet is a complex network of computers communicating with one another.
Once implanted, the limits of the human brain become unbound.
Scientists understand the purpose and function of virtually every part of the all major organs in the body, but the brain has largely remained a mystery until now. For such an amazing machine, the brain is not biologically unique: It is made up of the same humble carbon molecules as other organs like the heart and liver, without any magic, mystery, or intrigue. The exciting thing about this is that if the brain is understandable, even ordinary, then you can leverage it to create all kinds of innovations.
The convergence of mind and machine is further along than you may think. I'm thrilled to be involved in two exciting companies that want to get inside your head -- literally! The first is Zeo, Inc. (myZeo.com), which has a wearable brainwave headband that monitors the brain during sleep. The company's first product is an alarm clock that "knows" to awaken the wearer during the lightest stage of sleep to eliminate the groggy, first-thing-in-the-morning feeling. (It's akin to awakening from a midday nap.) The company recently won the prestigious Edison Award; the product is already a best seller at Best Buy, Apple, and Amazon. (See Required Reading)
Sound like science fiction? That's the Dark Ages compared to BrainGate (BrainGate.com), another company I co-founded. BrainGate is an implantable device that directly attaches to neurons in the motor cortex of the brain. Once implanted, people are able to turn "thoughts into action." The technology can be used to allow disabled individuals to turn lights on and off, control wheelchairs, move computer cursors, and more, via their thoughts. With FDA pre-approval, clinicians from Brown University and Mass General Hospital have been doing human trials for a number of years. The technology was featured on 60 Minutes in 2008.
Once implanted, the limits of the human brain become unbound. You could connect your brain to a robot, a bionic arm, or the Internet. More important, BrainGate has the potential to help the severely disabled -- and that is the true driving force behind this innovation.
The founders of Google were once mocked for suggesting that the entire content of the Internet would eventually be accessible through a chip implanted in one's brain. Well, the development of technologies like Zeo and BrainGate show that those "goofy" Google guys might not be off their rockers after all.
Jeffrey M. Stibel is Chairman and CEO of Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. He is author of the book Wired for Thought: How the Brain is Shaping the Future of the Internet (Harvard Business Press, 2009).