Neuroethics and Implanted Brain Machine Interfaces

Author(s):  
Ellen M. McGee

Transformations of humans through advances in bioelectronics, nanotechnologies, and computer science are leading to hybrids of humans and machines. Future brain-machine interfaces will enable humans not only to be constantly linked to the Internet, and to cyber think, but will also enable technology to take information directly from the brain. Brain-computer interfaces, where a chip is implanted in the brain, will facilitate a tremendous augmentation of human capacities, including the radical enhancement of the human ability to remember and to reason, and to achieve immortality through cloning and brain downloading, or existence in virtual reality. The ethical and legal issues raised by these possibilities represent global challenges. The most pressing concerns are those raised by privacy and autonomy. The potential exists for control of persons, through global tracking, by actually “seeing” and “hearing” what the individual is experiencing, and by controlling and directing an individual’s thoughts, emotions, moods, and motivations. Public dialogue must be initiated. New principles, agencies, and regulations need to be formulated and scientific organizations, states, countries, and the United Nations must all be involved.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Patricia Dobkin

There is a code of silence regarding addicted doctors in medicine. While the doctor is minimizing or denying the problem, often her or his co-workers look the other way. Colleagues may be concerned but hold back from “denouncing” one of their own. Yet, ethical and legal issues are real. Patient care may be compromised. This presentation will engage listeners by asking several reflective questions. The 4 C’s of addiction will be reviewed. Signs of addiction will be enumerated. Why doctors become entangled in substances will be examined. Is addiction different from burnout? If so, how? The adverse consequences of addiction will be reviewed. How can compassion be offered for a problem that triggers blame and shame?Impaired doctors are usually referred to Physician Health Programs. What do they offer? Can the Buddhist view of addiction contribute to Western therapies? Addiction recovery will be examined through a mindfulness lens.This, however, still puts the onus on the individual who struggles with addiction. What about the medical culture may contribute to the problem? Can this be changed? If so, how? Addicted doctors are not alone, and the problem is more than personal. Rather than simply review the literature, this presentation will engage the audience so that the taboo of addiction can be tackled. It is intended to break the silence such that upon return to work, participants may notice a colleague who shows signs of addiction and then open their hearts to offer support.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1723-1734
Author(s):  
Emilia Mikołajewska ◽  
Dariusz Mikołajewski ◽  
Tomasz Komendziński ◽  
Joanna Dreszer-Drogorób ◽  
Monika Lewandowska ◽  
...  

Recent demographic prognoses show tendencies toward a significant increase in the number of elderly people, especially in developed countries. This makes geriatric therapy, rehabilitation, and care difficult, especially with maintaining as long as possible the highest quality of life and independence in activities of daily living. Lack of specialized personnel and financial shortages may cause increased application of Assistive Technology (AT) and associated control devices. The most advanced current devices for diagnosis, communication, and control purposes are perceived Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs). BCIs use brain-derived bioelectrical signals as an input to enable diagnosis, communication, and/or control (e.g. neuroprostheses, medical robots, wheelchairs, whole integrated environments) without any movement. BCIs are regarded as novel solutions offering another breakthrough in everyday life, care, therapy, and rehabilitation in patients with severe sensory and neuropsychological deficits. However, particular issues in the area of BCIs use in elderly people should be emphasized, including influence of neurodegenerative disorders accompanied with secondary changes resulting from other medical problems (e.g. heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis), co-occurence of various drug therapies, etc. This chapter investigates the extent to which the available opportunities are being exploited, including both chances and limitations, medical, technical, psychological, societal, ethical, and legal issues.


2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 443-448
Author(s):  
Marilyn Williams

The use of surgical procedures to alter mental states raises many issues. Surgery on the brain has been known for thousands of years, but procedures developed in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, and the reasons for them, raised many ethical issues that remain with us today. The following article touches on the history of psychosurgery, the conditions treated, the literature on the subject, and the ethical and legal issues.


First Monday ◽  
2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan F. Fanton

The Internet is hailed as a democratic force freeing people from inherited orthodoxy and hierarchy. Yet some observers and visitors of virtual worlds decry the absence of the individual rights we have come to expect in a democratic society. This paradox of the Internet’s democratic promise and lack of democratic protections raises vexing legal issues. What are the rights and responsibilities of owners and users of digital media, profilers on social network sites, game players and participants in virtual worlds of all types? These issues must be addressed if the power of community is to be realized in a just and sustainable way.


SOEPRA ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fitriani Nur Damayanti ◽  
Absori Absori ◽  
Kelik Wardiono ◽  
Sri Rejeki

The internet offers unprecedented power to provide users with health information for patients, health professionals, and professionals. Maintaining the integrity, data systems, and confidentiality of individual health information, quality of content, and consumer protection and the commercial interests of the health industry against unethical practices, are areas of greatest concern in the implementation and use of the Internet. However, there is no national and international legislation for regulating the use of online-based health services. This research is a Literature review that aims to explore ethical and legal issues in the use of online-based health services (E-Health). The review process begins by identifying journal articles that are relevant to the research topic. This study concludes that the use of online-based health services (E-Health) is an important public health issue. E-Health emerged as a tool for developing new diagnostics and therapeutic interventions. Ethical issues related to crossing clinical practice and online communication about health services. This allows discriminatory or unethical behavior and is not following the professional code of ethics. E-Health licensing standards and regulations have not been implemented in many countries. So that health workers are required to code of ethics in the use of online-based health services (E-Health).


Author(s):  
Ahmad Danial Abdul Rahman ◽  
Hanim Hussin

<span>Neurotechnology has led to the development of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) or Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMIs) which are devices that use brain transmission signal to operate. Electroencephalography (EEG) is one of the recent methods that could retrieve transmission signal of the brain from scalp safely. This paper will discuss the development of Neuroprosthetics limb by using patients’ attention and meditation level to produce movement. The main objective of this project is to restore mobility of patients that have suffered from motor disabilities. This project is carried out by interfacing the data acquisition device which is NeuroSky Mindwaves Headset with the microcontroller to move the prosthetic arm as the output. Arduino Nano microcontroller acts as data processing and a controller to the arm as the output. The prosthetic arm is designed by using SOLIDWORKS software and fabricated by 3D printed. From this project, the user will be able to control the prosthetic arm ranging from rotating the hand to bending the fingers creating a grasp and release gesture.</span>


2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha L. Cirgin Ellett ◽  
Lois Lane ◽  
Jan Keffer

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Walter Glannon

This Introduction describes the book as an analysis and discussion of questions at the intersection of psychiatry, philosophy and law that have arisen from advances in psychiatric research and practice in the last 30 years. After pointing out the extent to which mental illness constitutes the global burden of disease, it outlines a paradigm for major psychiatric conditions as diseases of the brain and mind consisting in a biopsychosocial model in which the DSM-5 and RDoC are complementary frameworks. The Introduction explains psychiatric disorders as disorders of consciousness, memory and will, examines invasive and non-invasive treatments for them, how these treatments affect autonomous agency and the obligations of researchers to subjects participating in psychiatric research. In addition, it explores ethical and legal issues in brain interventions for psychopathy, arguments for and against euthanasia and assisted suicide for psychiatric disorders and how to prevent them.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usman Salahuddin ◽  
Pu-Xian Gao

Brain machine interfaces (BMIs), or brain computer interfaces (BCIs), are devices that act as a medium for communications between the brain and the computer. It is an emerging field with numerous applications in domains of prosthetic devices, robotics, communication technology, gaming, education, and security. It is noted in such a multidisciplinary field, many reviews have surveyed on various focused subfields of interest, such as neural signaling, microelectrode fabrication, and signal classification algorithms. A unified review is lacking to cover and link all the relevant areas in this field. Herein, this review intends to connect on the relevant areas that circumscribe BMIs to present a unified script that may help enhance our understanding of BMIs. Specifically, this article discusses signal generation within the cortex, signal acquisition using invasive, non-invasive, or hybrid techniques, and the signal processing domain. The latest development is surveyed in this field, particularly in the last decade, with discussions regarding the challenges and possible solutions to allow swift disruption of BMI products in the commercial market.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 7-11
Author(s):  
Petronela Nechita ◽  
Liliana Luca ◽  
Codrina Moraru ◽  
Raluca-Ioana Cojocariu ◽  
Anamaria Ciubara

Coercion raises serious ethical and legal issues in psychiatric care. Coercive medical measures are applied in psychiatric institutions for protective purposes. Alcoholism is a social and medical problem because it especially affects the behavior of the individual. Alcohol consumption can catalyze exacerbations of mental illness and predispose to behaviors with an increased risk of violence. Aim: The purpose of this study is to illustrate medical and legal issues related to coercive measures in emergency psychiatric care during the pandemic. Methods: The study is retrospective, and the data were taken from the observation sheets of patients in the period between March 1, 2020–March 31, 2021, in acute section II in the Institute of Psychiatry "Socola" Iasi. Results: Of those who required coercive measures during hospitalization, most were restraint for symptoms such as: self-aggression and aggression towards others. Mechanical restraint measures were also necessary in cases with hallucinatory-delusional symptoms, associated with self-aggression and aggression towards others. The share of hospitalized patients for alcohol abuse, who required coercive measures, was significantly higher during the pandemic. Conclusion: Manifestations of violence among patients with major mental disorders are rare. Mechanical restraint was necessary especially in those who had self-aggression and aggression towards others, symptoms secondary to alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption amplifies the psychological imbalance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document