[ExI] thought controled Third arm, (was EPOC EEG headset)

ablainey at aol.com ablainey at aol.com
Fri Jan 22 01:01:54 UTC 2010


 Hi All,
Just as a shoot off subject from the thought controlled robot arm Video I just wanted to point out my thoughts regarding it that may be food for thought.

In my experiment I controlled a 5 axis robot arm using an Epoc EEG headset. Although the ammount of time I spent learning to operate it and actual experimeting with it only runs to maybe 10 hours. It did in some way become an asscociated part of my body.
By that I mean I was getting to a stage where operation sometimes required little more effort than moving my real arms. And although there was no actual nueral feedback, just visual and auditory. I did devolope a psuedo-feeling while operating it. I seemed to actually feel regional sensations in the brain triggered by each specific congnitiv action required for each movement of the robot.
In a sense I feel I was on the cusp of mentally fully excepting it as a third limb. Very odd and almost to vague for description.
I am convinced that if I were permanatly connected to it, It would become a fully excepted body part in very little time. One that I would be unwilling to loose.

The odd thing now is when I look at the robot arm, sitting there lifeless on the desk, I now already have a slight feeling of loss! While similar to loosing an actual body part it is different as I know the part can be reconnected. A loss of ability more than the physical part.

The whole affair is very strange as it is first hand (LOL) experience relating to many theoretical subjects discussed here. To me the question of copy vs original seems slightly altered by this experience. Something I will think about in depth when I can find a decade or two.

Just thought I would share as It has further highlighted to me the difference between pure logical theory arguement and the actual reality. Also it further shows just how maluable the concept of 'physical self' really is.

 
Alex


 



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