Networking using an AI computing chip in our brain

©Mark Ollig


It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel; a company is developing ultra-high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces (BMI) to connect humans and electronic devices.

Technology has advanced to the point where we are entering into the realm of BMI.

Neurotransmitters in a human brain, using thin, superconducting nanowires connected to an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chip, may become the pathway for us to use our mind to communicate with autonomous devices and machines.

We already have access to virtual reality (VR) programs using software power to place us into virtual worlds. Many say VR is incredibly realistic.

Is merging with AI the dawn of a cognitive revolution for the human race?

For me, I’m skeptical about an AI chip knowing what’s going on inside my head.

You may be wondering who the person is we have to thank for this latest AI-human technological revelation.

Enter Elon Musk, the 48-year-old founder of SpaceX, the co-founder of those Tesla electric cars.

Recently, I saw a lot of Teslas plugged into the charging station behind the Starbucks in Robbinsdale.

But, I digress.

Musk gave a presentation July 16 about the technology his company, called Neuralink, has been working on.

Neuralink began in July 2016, in San Francisco. It has been very active during the last two years, experimenting with various rodents (substituting for humans) to prove their machine-mind technology interface is viable.

Musk hopes this technology will soon be tested on humans.

Imagine a group of scientists located around the world with the AI chip wired into their brains having a Spock-like “mind-meld.”

They would instantaneously share their thoughts and ideas. Some fantastic discoveries could result; on the other hand, virtual confrontations might ensue among them.

During Musk’s presentation, he seemed to suggest humans need to be on guard for the threats AI might present to us in the future.

By merging ourselves with AI, is he recommending it might be better to join AI than to fight it?

We won’t have to worry about “some evil dictator AI,” because we and AI will be working collectively, Musk indicated.

“I think if we can effectively merge with AI by improving the neural link between the cortex and your digital extension of yourself; (which already exists but just has a bandwidth issue), you then effectively become an AI-human symbiote,” Musk said.

I am reminded of the memorable quote from the science fiction television and movie series of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” when the cybernetic beings say to humans who are not a part of their collective, “We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile.”

Of course, AI is “artificial” intelligence; it’s nowhere near the type of intellect which resides in you and me – or the Borg.

What happens if AI obtains self-awareness, consciousness, independent thought, and begins to ask humans questions about its existence and purpose? OK, maybe now I am rambling too far into science fiction here. I’ll need to address this in 100 or 200 years.

For now, I imagine many people would not submit to having their brain wired into an AI component, and thus become part of the Internet of Things (IoT).

On a more serious note, the electric signals released by specific computing chips in the human brain have improved the lives of those living with medical conditions such as Parkinson’s, spinal cord pain, and others.

Musk said Neuralink is ready to implant paralyzed patients with electrodes that will allow them to work with computers using their minds.

The promise of Neuralink technology for improving people’s lives is, of course, paramount.

Humans merging with AI might end up becoming a type of symbiosis.

Who knows the future? Eventually, we might be driving an Elon Musk Tesla automobile down the highway using our thoughts, which is one way to sell more Teslas.

The website for Neuralink is https://neuralink.com.

There are currently 98,500 people (and bots) following Neuralink on their Twitter account @neuralink.

Watch Elon Musk’s 1.5-hour presentation at https://bit.ly/2ObnwfJ.

Brain access hole.
 (Screengrab from Neuralink presentation) 

Diagram of nanowires from AI chip to the brain
 (Screengrab from Neuralink presentation) 

Photo of nanowires attached to a rodent's brain
 (Screengrab from Neuralink presentation) 

Eagle is at Tranquility

©Mark Ollig


A 5-foot aluminum rod containing a contact sensor extending from the footpad of the lunar module touched the surface of the moon.

“Contact light,” announced Aldrin. “Okay . . . engine stop.”

Sunday, July 20, 1969, at 3:17 p.m., Minnesota time, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the lunar module, Eagle, onto the surface of the moon in a region called the Sea of Tranquility.

“We copy you down, Eagle,” radioed Mission Control.

“Houston. Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed,” confirmed Armstrong.

There was a brief silence upon hearing Armstrong’s words as Mission Control and the world paused to reflect on this historic moment.

“Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You’ve got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re breathing again, thanks a lot,” answered Mission Control.

“Thank you,” replied Armstrong.

“Very smooth touchdown,” Aldrin added.

At Mission Control in Houston, TX, there was much loud cheering by the flight controllers.

Flight Director Gene Kranz knew now was not the time for complacency.

“Ok, keep the chatter down in this room,” Kranz told the excited flight controllers.

One minute after landing is the T1 checkpoint; a decision needs to be made by Kranz to determine whether the conditions on the lunar surface and inside the Eagle are safe for the astronauts to stay on the moon.

The flight controllers telemetry data from the Eagle and would soon reveal if all systems were operating correctly.

Aldrin and Armstrong would perform an emergency liftoff if they or Mission Control discovered any system status levels which could put them in danger.

Kranz went around the room in Mission Control to confirm with the flight controllers if the information on their status boards showed it safe for the Eagle to stay on the moon.

“Ok, T1 stay-no-stay . . . all flight controllers,” alerted Kranz.

Kranz: RETRO?”

RETRO: “Stay.”

Kranz: “FIDO?”

FIDO: “Stay.”

Kranz: “GUIDANCE?”

GUIDANCE: “Stay.”

Kranz: “CONTROL?”

CONTROL: “Stay.”

Kranz: “TELCOM?”

TELCOM: “Stay.”

Kranz: “GNC?”

GNC: “Stay.”

Kranz: “EECOM?”

EECOM: “Stay.”

Kranz: “SURGEON?”

SURGEON: “Stay.”

“Capcom, we’re stay for T1,” Kranz told Charlie Duke, acting Capcom in direct communication with the astronauts.

“Eagle, you are stay for T1,” Capcom radioed Armstrong and Aldrin.

If the “no stay” were issued, the astronauts would ignite the engine on Eagle’s ascent stage (containing the crew compartment), and lift off from the moon. They would then rendezvous with the command module, and head back to Earth.

“Roger. Understand, stay for T1,” Armstrong replied to Capcom.

“Eagle is at Tranquility. Over,” Mission Control informed Michael Collins, who was orbiting 60 miles over the moon in Columbia.

“Yes, I heard the whole thing. Fantastic!” answered Collins.

“Be advised there are a lot of smiling faces in this room, and all over the world,” Duke reported to the astronauts.

Armstrong replied, “Well, there are two of them up here.”

“Don’t forget the one in the command module,” quipped Collins.

CBS television news anchor Walter Cronkite was at a loss for words after the Eagle touched down on the moon.

“Wally. Say something; I’m speechless,” Cronkite said as he turned to Wally Schirra, a former astronaut who was co-anchoring the moon landing as a consultant.

“That is really something. Kind of nice to be aboard on this one, isn’t it?” Schirra replied to a smiling Cronkite.

That evening, Armstrong and Aldrin walked on the surface of the moon; many of us watched it live on television.

With my young eyes transfixed on the living room television, I felt awe and wonderment watching the ghost-like images of astronaut Neil Armstrong descending the ladder of the lunar module.

He placed his left boot on the lunar soil in one small step, and then took a giant leap for all of us.

I remember watching Armstrong and Aldrin walking on the moon with the lunar module and the American flag in the background, while they talked with Mission Control and each other.

Capcom patched through a very long distance (244,390 miles) radio-telephone call from the President of the United States in which he congratulated the astronauts on their achievement.

Armstrong and Aldrin spent 2 hours and 31 minutes outside of the lunar module, where they collected rock and soil samples, conducted experiments, and placed measuring and sensor devices on the lunar surface.

Both had been on the moon for a total of 21 hours and 36 minutes when the Eagle lifted off the lunar surface to make its rendezvous with Columbia and travel back to Earth.

Tomorrow marks 50 years since the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Some of the people from the Apollo 11 mission are still with us, including Kranz, who is 85 years old; Duke, 83; Aldrin, 89; and Collins, 88.

Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, passed away Aug. 25, 2012, at the age of 82.

A stainless steel commemorative plaque was left on the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts.

The plaque contains a message for whoever sees it in a future millennium. It is attached to the ladder on the descent stage of the lunar module, which remains where it landed 50 years ago.

The plaque states, “Here, men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”

Apollo 11 landing site today. Arrow points to descent stage of the Eagle.
Trails are that of the footprints made by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
Photo taken in 2012 by the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Source: NASA 

‘Eagle, you are go for powered descent’

©Mark Ollig


It was Sunday, July 20, 1969, and the mission to land the first two men on the moon was proceeding smoothly.

Inside the crew compartment of the moon-orbiting Apollo 11 lunar module, named Eagle, were astronauts Buzz Aldrin, the lunar module pilot; and Commander Neil Armstrong.

Armstrong and Aldrin were about to embark on their historic journey to the surface of the moon.

The two astronauts would be communicating with Mission Control in Houston, TX (some 244,391 miles away) using the lunar module’s high-gain S-band antenna.

Inside the command module, called Columbia, was astronaut Michael Collins, the command module pilot, who would remain in orbit above the moon.

If Mission Control loses radio communications with Eagle, Columbia will act as the go-between and relay messages between them.

Mission Control was receiving telemetry data from the Eagle, which included radar updates, fuel consumption, and other instrumentation readings.

“The Eagle has wings,” Neil Armstrong reported to Mission Control as the lunar module undocked from Columbia and began its journey.

“Eagle, Houston. If you read, you’re go for powered descent. Over,” Mission Control radioed.

There was no reply.

The Eagle was not receiving radio transmissions from Mission Control.

Aboard Columbia, Michael Collins radioed, “Eagle, this is Columbia, You’re a go for PDI (Powered Descent Initiation), and they recommend you yaw right 10 degrees and try the high gain (antenna) again.”

Eagle maneuvered right 10 degrees, and the high gain antenna was now in a position to communicate with Mission Control.

“Eagle, Houston. We read you now. You are go for PDI. Over,” radioed Capcom.

“Roger. Understand,” Aldrin replied.

An estimated 600 million people around the world watched on television as the Eagle slowly descended toward the lunar surface.

“Houston, you’re looking at our Delta-H (Constant Delta Height – orbital data)?” asked Armstrong.

“That’s affirmative,” replied Charlie Duke, an astronaut and the spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) at Mission Control.

CAPCOM is an acronym for Capsule Communicator and originated during NASA’s Project Mercury program. The Mercury spacecraft was called a capsule.

NASA required voice communications between the spacecraft and Mission Control to pass through one person (usually another astronaut). This person is called the Capcom.

As many of us watched on our television, the mission to land two astronauts on the moon appeared to be proceeding according to the flight plan.

Then, all of a sudden, we hear Neil Armstrong call out, “Program alarm!”

“It’s a twelve-oh-two,” he quickly reported to Mission Control.

“Twelve-oh-two,” repeated Buzz Aldrin.

The 1202 alarm indicates the primary guidance system is becoming overloaded and running out of word space in the computer core sets used to execute programs by the Eagle as it maneuvered and descended toward the moon.

According to the NASA voice transcript, what followed was 16 seconds of radio silence as flight controllers determined if the Eagle could continue with the lunar landing, or if the astronauts needed to abort.

“Give us a reading on the twelve-oh-two program alarm,” Armstrong asked Mission Control.

“We’re go on that flight,” one flight controller in Mission Control reported to Apollo 11 Flight Director Gene Kranz.

Flight controllers had determined there was no loss of any critical lunar module navigational data or instrumentation systems because of the 1202 alarm.

“We’re go on that alarm?” asked Kranz, wanting to confirm what he heard.

“If it doesn’t reoccur, we will be go,” answered the flight controller.

“Roger. We got – we’re go on that alarm,” Capcom informed Armstrong and Aldrin.

“We got good data,” Aldrin confirmed.

“Roger. Stand by. You’re looking great at 8 minutes,” replied Capcom.

“We copy,” acknowledged Aldrin.

The lunar module continued to maneuver and navigate closer to the surface of the moon.

At Mission Control, each flight controller was polled for a “go” or “no go” for landing by Gene Kranz. All reported “go” for landing.

“Eagle, Houston. You are go for landing, over,” radioed Capcom.

“Roger, understand. We are go for landing,” replied Aldrin.

The Eagle, under computer control, was quickly descending and passed over its intended landing site.

At 7,000 feet above the surface and descending at a rate of 125 feet per second, Armstrong took maneuvering control of the lunar module.

He steered the spacecraft away from a large crater described by Aldrin as being “wider than a football field.”

As the Eagle descended, the astronauts searched for a level surface without any craters or boulders to set the lunar module down on.

Meanwhile, in Mission Control, another concern was being watched closely by Bob Carlton.

Carlton, the Lunar Module Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Systems engineer was monitoring the remaining fuel supply in the Eagle’s descent stage tanks.

“Okay, Bob, standing by for your [fuel] call-outs shortly,” directed Kranz.

“I think we better be quiet, flight,” replied a concerned Carlton.

“The only call-outs from now on will be for fuel,” Gene Kranz instructed the flight controllers.

“At 400 feet, down at 9 . . . forward . . . 350 feet, down at 4,” reported Aldrin as the Eagle came closer to the moon’s surface.

“Low level,” Carlton informed Kranz regarding the status of Eagle’s remaining fuel.

“Low level,” Kranz repeated to the flight controllers.

With the Eagle hovering 75 feet above the lunar surface, Carlton called out, “Sixty seconds.”

“Sixty seconds,” Kranz quickly informed Capcom.

Capcom radioed “sixty seconds” to Armstrong and Aldrin.

The lunar module’s descent stage propellant tanks had 60 seconds of fuel left to complete the landing.

They were running out of fuel and may have to abort the landing.

If the astronauts abort the landing, they will detach from the Eagle’s descent stage, fire the engine of upper ascent stage (containing the astronauts inside a pressurized crew cabin), and rendezvous with Columbia.

I learned it came very close to an aborted landing.

“We were 18 seconds from abort,” Carlton would later say in a 2009 Washington Times interview.

Armstrong and Aldrin were aware of the low fuel status, and quickly worked to find a safe landing spot for the Eagle.

“Thirty seconds,” Capcom urgently told Armstrong and Aldrin.

For the next 9 seconds, there was silence.

Hovering 40 feet above the moon’s surface, the Eagle’s descent stage engine exhaust began kicking up some lunar dust.

Carlton began to say, “Fifteen sec . . .” and abruptly stopped.

Read the conclusion in next week’s “Eagle is at Tranquility” column to be published one day before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Lunar module (Eagle) after undocking from the Command Module (Columbia)

Take an occasional online break

©Mark Ollig


We know spending too much time on the internet is not necessarily a good thing.

Of course, who wants to miss any of the latest happenings occurring on our favorite social media networks?

Each day, we find ourselves immersed in social media apps (applications), including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

Some of us are also text chatting over live-streaming video sites, such as Periscope.

We are spending less time talking, and more time screen texting with friends and family.

This is obvious while visiting any coffee house; two or more people sitting at a table are sipping their cafè lattes while texting on their smartphones.

Of course, back in the day, we would stare at the television screen for hours until one of our parents would say, “You’ve been watching too much TV. Go outside for awhile.”

So, we went outside to breathe the fresh air, walk under the maple trees to downtown, or meet up with friends to ride our bikes. Sometimes, we’d play some basketball.

If enough neighborhood kids got together, we would start up a baseball game.

Needless to say, today’s young people still go outside; but now they take the “television” (online social media) screens with them in their pockets.

The frequent typing and staring at a screen can reduce the quality time we could be spending on other activities at home and at work.

We find ourselves frequently responding to a text message, or social media comment.

Not keeping up-to-date with a favorite social media site will even give some smartphone users feelings of nervousness.

Too much online screen time can lead to mental fatigue and anxiety, which zaps our productivity.

In October 2019, Pew Research reported teenagers spent an average of nine hours a day looking at a computing screen, which is a lot of time staring at a screen.

I wondered how much time I was spending looking at my smartphone screen, so I looked for an app program to keep track and show me the numbers. I felt this would help put things into better perspective regarding my online time.

From the Google Play website, I installed Usage Time. This app manages and monitors the apps used on a smartphone.

Usage Time is currently being used on more than 100,000 smartphones.

The app allows me to check at a glance the amount of time I spent using a particular social media app, such as Twitter or Facebook, along with apps like AccuWeather, Microsoft Word, and shopping apps.

Its easy-to-read screen shows the number of individual social media and other apps, and the amount of time they are used, during a 24-hour period.

Usage Time also displays the total time spent on your smartphone for telephone calls each day.

You can set time limits allowed for using selected apps, too.

The memory size of the Usage Time app is 4MB. It was last updated for the Android operating system June 29. The app is free; however, if you don’t want to see the ads, you can upgrade to the premium version for $1.99.

We have come to the point where taking a break from the screen, whether it is on a television, computer, or a smartphone, is becoming a necessity.

This phrase is being seen a lot on social networks these days: “I need to take a break.”

Of course, those of us online understand, and will give a pass to the person who has reached their online texting and screen-staring limit.

After having spent some quality offline time, the person usually returns with an enthusiastic “I’m back!” and picks up where they left off with a renewed energy while posting new stories and comments.

How many hours do you spend online conversing, tweeting, or chatting on social networks each day?

Checking my Usage App over the last two days, I spent, on average, five hours per day on the social media, apps, and websites I frequently use (not counting my eight hours at work).

We are, after all, human – unless you’re a software bot. When you reach that point of needing a break from the online world, just do it and don’t feel guilty about it.

We need to be aware and set aside more time to disconnect and recharge after prolonged periods of staring at the screen.

Many in the virtual communities we belong to are empathetic, reassuring, and understating when it comes to taking a break from social media.

In fact, right now, I am going to take a break from typing on this computer screen.

I’m going outside to breathe some fresh air, observe the birds flying, look at the green grass, and enjoy those tall, majestic pine trees.

Heck, I might even play some basketball.