LONDON -- The mind-expanding prospect of an electronic implant in the brain to extend human intelligence has come a step nearer with the growth of living nerves on a silicon chip.
Scientists have grown the nerve cells of a rat, which are almost identical to those of humans, on a silicon chip and transmitted electrical impulses along the nerves to sensors within the device.
The findings are being hailed as a crucial first step in developing direct connections between computers and the brain. This will lead to silicon-based enhancements for the body, ranging from memory devices inside the head to "bionic" eyes that allow blind people to see.
Stefano Vassenelli, a member of the research team at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Germany, said the experiment showed it was theoretically possible to connect human nerve cells to a similar microchip. "This is an important step needed to take cells from a human and to connect them to a chip. It shows it may be possible to connect the human brain to a computer," said Mr. Vassenelli.
Colin Humphreys, a professor at Cambridge University, said the latest research raised the frightening prospect of one day being able to control someone's mind through silicon chip implants.