Adding extra sensors to the human body | David Eagleman and Lex Fridman

TL;DR

Neosensory is a company that has developed a wristband using vibratory motors to capture data and transmit it to the brain, enabling new sensory experiences.

Transcript

by the way so there was something that i meant to mention earlier if you don't mind going back which is this when we were talking about bci um so i don't know if you know this but what i'm spending 90 of my time doing now is running a company do you know about this yes i i wasn't sure what the company is involved in right so talk about it yeah yeah... Read More

Key Insights

• 🙉 Neosensory's wristband allows deaf individuals to learn to hear through their skin, expanding their ability to perceive auditory information.
• 😂 The brain can interpret data from various channels, not just the ears, opening up possibilities for new sensory experiences.
• 💁 Sensory expansion is an exciting area of research, with the potential to enable humans to perceive and understand information outside of their current sensory capabilities.
• 🦻 Neosensory's wristband is a relatively affordable solution compared to traditional hearing aids and cochlear implants.
• ❓ The concept of the "oomvelt," or the slice of reality that each species can perceive, highlights the limitations of human perception and the potential for enhancing it through technological advancements.
• 🙂 Science has allowed us to discover that the visible light spectrum is just a tiny fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum, emphasizing the vastness of the world beyond our current sensory abilities.
• 🤑 Non-invasive brain-computer interfaces hold promise for expanding human perception, making it possible to include additional senses beyond the traditional ones.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Neosensory's wristband enable deaf individuals to hear through their skin?

The wristband captures voice data and converts it into patterns of vibration, which the brain learns to interpret as sound, enabling deaf individuals to perceive auditory information through their skin.

Q: What is sensory expansion?

Sensory expansion refers to the idea of adding new senses to human perception. Neosensory explores this concept by incorporating infrared and ultraviolet detectors into their wristband, allowing users to feel and perceive information outside of the visible light spectrum.

Q: Can Neosensory's technology be used to detect other types of data, such as the magnetic field of the earth or the stock market?

Yes, as long as there is a machine capable of measuring the data, it can be fed into the wristband and become part of the user's reality. Neosensory aims to enable sensory addition by expanding the range of detectable information beyond conventional senses.

Q: How does Neosensory's wristband compare to other assistive devices like hearing aids and cochlear implants?

Neosensory's wristband is significantly more affordable, costing less than a tenth of a hearing aid and 250 times less than a cochlear implant. It offers a non-invasive alternative for individuals looking to enhance their sensory perception.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Neosensory has developed a wristband with vibratory motors that capture voice data and convert it into patterns of vibration, allowing deaf individuals to learn to hear through their skin.

• The brain can interpret data from various channels, not just the ears, leading to new subjective experiences.

• Neosensory also explores sensory expansion by adding new senses, such as detecting infrared or ultraviolet radiation.