By Nicholas West

Hacking the human brain to enhance performance seems to be the ultimate dream of technocrats and their military counterparts.

We have reported extensively about the various methods that the military is studying to design a future soldier that is able to carry more weight, run faster, need less sleep, and even become a super sniper without training. These designs range from technical engineering to pharmacological, genetic, and to outright mind control via brain implant.

In a previous article I speculated that without proper ethical parameters these developments very well could herald a new type of global arms race of developing super humans, which naturally would begin to emerge on the battlefield.

China has made several announcements that show a clear attempt to become a leader in a race toward human superiority. Studies with animals like the super beagle have certainly raised eyebrows in the area of genetic engineering, as well as the potential for replicating humans at clone factories.

A new announcement is being reported from ARS Technica which shows that China is now studying brain stimulation techniques that sound very similar to what we have covered from DARPA’s work with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. In this case, the scientists are using a combination of genetic engineering and light stimulation called “optogenetics,” but with the same goal to alter cognition by artificially switching brain circuitry.

The Chinese study is particularly worrying as it is claiming to have enhanced aggression in normally docile mice.

Mice are typical of most mammals in that they have a hierarchy based on various forms of physical and social dominance. Researchers in Shanghai are claiming to have found a trigger whereby the lower-ranking mice can be made into super aggressive alphas:

Using a brain stimulation technique called “optogenetics” that triggers neural activity with proteins and light, they stimulated the dmPFC region of a low-ranking mouse’s brain. Then the low-ranking mouse took the tube test with a high-ranking mouse. Immediately, the loser mouse began to shove the winner mouse vigorously, winning almost every contest.

[…]

Perhaps more interesting is how researchers found they could permanently transform loser mice into winners, just by stimulating their brains six or more times in tube tests. “We observed that not all the mice returned to their original rank,” Zhejiang University neuroscientist Hu Hailan told the Guardian. “Some mice [did], but some of them had this newly dominant position.” Hu and the other researchers refer to this as the “winner effect,” in which one triumph can lead to more victories, due to a change in outlook.

Of course it remains speculation about how this type of stimulation will work on a more complex human brain, but The Guardian reports that U.S. researchers believe that there is the potential to bridge the gap:

Ivan de Araujo, a psychiatry researcher at the Yale University School of Medicine, agreed that the findings could be relevant in people.

“Social behaviours in rodents arguably operate under very different conditions when compared to human social behaviours,” he said. “However, history of winning is one characteristic of social dominance that is relevant for almost every social species studied, from insects to primates. Because each brain region investigated has its direct primate homologue, the present study opens new opportunities for understanding the involvement of brain regions linked to planning and decision-making in establishing social hierarchies.”

If the “winner effect” translates to humans, it would suggest that experience of success in one area of life could help build confidence in another. “And you can imagine for athletes before a really serious game they could maybe play a video game to have the winner experience to build up confidence,” said Hu.

Regardless of where this particular study leads, there is a clear pattern of research that indicates a desire to rewire human brain function. There is also no doubt that the militaries of world are keeping a very close eye on the opportunities that will be presented.

While it might seem easy to dismiss what has so far only appeared in science fiction, we still need to spread awareness. As the Chinese scientist who was working on human cloning stated: “The technology is already there,” telling AFP that his company is “only holding off for fear of the public reaction.”

You can see the “test tube” demonstration in the video below:

Nicholas West writes for ActivistPost.com. He also writes for Counter Markets agorist newsletter. Follow us at Twitter and Steemit.

This article may be freely republished in part or in full with author attribution and source link.

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(activistpost.com)

By Matt Agorist

A particularly ominous warning was put out by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center this week alerting people to the potential dangers Internet-connected toys pose to adults and children alike. Not only do these ‘spy toys’ have the potential to record kids’ conversations, track their movements, reveal their location — they even allow perverts to TALK to children directly.

The alert, titled: CONSUMER NOTICE: INTERNET-CONNECTED TOYS COULD PRESENT PRIVACY AND CONTACT CONCERNS FOR CHILDREN, warns users of the security risks and vulnerabilities posed by this new line of smart toys that connect via WiFi or Bluetooth to your home network.

The toys, according to the warning, typically contain sensors, microphones, cameras, data storage components, and other multimedia capabilities – including speech recognition and GPS options.

According to the FBI, “microphones could record and collect conversations within earshot of the device. Information such as the child’s name, school, likes and dislikes, and activities may be disclosed through normal conversation with the toy or in the surrounding environment. The collection of a child’s personal information combined with a toy’s ability to connect to the Internet or other devices raises concerns for privacy and physical safety.”

Given how easily children give out their information — especially considering they think they are engaging with a harmless toy — the implications for abuse from criminal and government actors are damning.

The deliberate or accidental vulnerabilities inside these toys present a unique opportunity for sickos who want to spy on or otherwise engage in conversation with unsuspecting children.

According to the FBI, these “devices could pose a risk for unauthorized access to the toy and allow communications with a child user.”

The FBI notes that “Security safeguards for these toys can be overlooked in the rush to market them and to make them easy to use.

“Consumers should perform online research of these products for any known issues that have been identified by security researchers or in consumer reports,” the FBI recommended.

Even if you do all your research and pick out the safest spy toys on the market, however, the data collected and security measures are all out of your hands and in the hands of the manufacturer or server operations.

As the tech site Slash Gear points out, unfortunately, server security is on the manufacturer or their third-party partner responsible for storing the data, and it certainly seems that in a lot of cases, security of these servers is put on the back burner until a breach actually occurs.

As with any Internet-connected devices, allowing children unsupervised access from the start is a terrible idea. And, if you must have them, it is your responsibility to supervise your children, secure your internet access, and make sure that these toys aren’t wholeheartedly spying on you and your kids.

Ironically enough, these toys sound like the FBI’s wet dream.

As TFTP reported last year, a formal complaint filed with the FTC by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, the Center for Digital Democracy, and the Consumers Union notes that the “toys subject young children to ongoing surveillance,” in violation of privacy and consumer protection laws — and, worse, the nature of the company Genesis Toys employs for that purpose.

“Nuance Communications,” the aforementioned groups state in a complaint to the FTC, “represents itself as a leader in voice technology, including speech recognition software and voice biometric solutions that allow a search of the company’s 60 million enrolled voiceprints for a voice match from recorded conversations to be performed within minutes. Nuance markets its technology to private and public entities and delivers its voice biometric technology to military, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies.”

“Both Genesis Toys and Nuance Communications unfairly and deceptively collect, use, and disclose audio files of children’s voices without providing adequate notice or obtaining verified parental consent,” the complaint stated.

While the FBI lists a myriad of different ways consumers can limit their risks of exploitation from these toys, conveniently absent from their list is the simple option of not buying them.

(activistpost.com)