Brain-machine interfaces have become important in rehabilitation with the goal to restore motor function to paralyzed people. The topics discussed in the lecture include: (1) the bits of information generated by a brain-machine interface signal, (2) the superiority of a brain-machine interface signal using single cell recordings versus electroencephalographic recordings, (3) the limitations of including more neurons for generating a brain-machine interface signal, (4) plasticity and brain-machine interfaces, (5) the selection of a neural code as implemented by brain-machine interfaces, (6) the significance of body movements while using brain-machine interfaces, and (7) the role of vision for brain-machine interfaces. During the question period the issue of using information theory to assess studies in behavioural neuroscience is discussed.
Specific topics covered by the seminar: information theory, systems neuroscience, neural prosthetics.
Full lecture as delivered at the University of São Paulo on August 29, 2014:
http://iptv.usp.br/portal/video.action;jsessionid=7AA48F80FE34CCCA14207F3DC62C0A08?idItem=23770
Dear Edward, to get an answer to your important question, we should first work out if brains processes the information or... consumes it. While it may sound odd, brain unlike any other information processing device get constantly amended by the inputs it gets exposed. There are also other major buts... In a sense, our brain may very much like our lungs and guts consume the quanta of signals (photons, sound and so on, like our lungs consume the O2). At this point we have no clue about the fractions of inner energy these inputs generate that reaches our consciousness. In my opinion, the basics of the information theory applied to the brain and neuronal networks is flawed and needs radical revision. Perhaps after, your question will become irrelevant altogether. Or you may disagree?
Dear Edward, This is a really interesting question and I have thought of this approach since a few years ago. At this point, I believe this would be an intelligent approach to consider the training process as a wireless communication system and to utilize information theory for identifying the behavior of brain, also to design an optimal detector. As a researcher in wireless communications, I think this approach would work aside from all details about neurons. For example, when you show an image to user and record the EEG data, the image can be considered as a "symbol" of information and you are willing to detect it among other images by EEG signals. We can discuss more if you are thinking of it seriously as a part of your research topic.
Here is an estimate of how long it would take to read Tolstoy’s War and Peace using an information transfer rate of 0.004 bits/sec (brain-to-brain, Pais-Vieira et al. 2013) versus 80 bits/sec (a proficient reader). Translated: 1 word per 100 minutes versus 200 words per minute. Tolstoy’s War and Peace contains 587,287 words; therefore using brain-to-brain communication it would take 58,728,600 minutes or 978,810 hours or over 100 years to read the book and using eye-to-brain communication it would take 49 hours of continuous reading (Tehovnik et al. 2017). Hence, evolution has equipped the body with sensors to transmit information at high rates.
Tehovnik et al. (2017) Consciousness and Information Transfer. In Preparation.
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