Neurotech

Imagine treating mental health diseases, thinking faster, experiencing new sensations, and connecting deeply with other sentiences.

Neurotechnology offers the possibility of enhancing brain function and treating neurological disorders. By building advanced tools and devices, we may also build digitized versions of brains, either through emulating a human brain or through sufficiently advanced brain-computer interfaces that enable a high-bandwidth digital interface.

Learn all about neurotech under "Intro," understand potential risks under "Risks," discover the most hopeful scenarios under "Hope," and find out how to get involved under "Action."
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NEUROTECH

Neurotech:

TheNeurotech - An overview of the neurotechnology domain. Website/Blog

Brain Computer Interfaces

What To Expect From The Next Generation of BCIs - Sumner Norman. Seminar summarizing the state of the art and exploring the future of BCIs. Video
Neuralink: The Brain’s Magical Future - Tim Urban. An overview of Neuralink’s likely plans for Brain Computer Interfaces. Forum/blog-post
Lessons - A step-by-step guide into BCIs. Website/Blog‍
BCI community - Website. Link list for BCI explainers and labs. Content list

Whole Brain Emulations

Mind-uploading - Kurzgesagt. Explainer video on mind-uploading.Video
AI by Mimicking Natural Intelligence - Patrick Mineault. Blog post comparing hi-fi and lo-fi approaches to WBE. Forum/blog-post
Lo-fi Uploading - Catalin Mitelut. Seminar introducing the lo-fi approach to WBE. Video
Whole Brain Emulate C.Elegans - Konrad Kording. Seminar on the hi-fi approach to WBEs of C.Elegans. Video
Roadmap to WBE - Anders Sandberg, Nick Bostrom. Oldie but goldie on steps required toward Whole Brain Emulation. Academic paper
Whole Brain Emulation - LessWrong. A primer on Whole Brain Emulations. Forum/blog-post
Minduploading.org - FAQ and articles on mind-uploading. Forum/blog-post
Digital People FAQ - Holden Karnofsky. An FAQ that includes societal questions. Forum/blog-post ‍
Challenges for Brain Emulation- Alice Parker, Rick Cattell. Focuses on the technical challenges for building brain emulations. Academic paper

A Taxonomy and Metaphysics of Mind-Uploading - Keith Wiley. Detailed book on the foundations for mind-uploading with multiple helpful illustrations. Book
Mind-Uploading - A Philosophical Analysis - David Chalmers. A philosophical exploration of questions regarding the consciousness of mind-uploads. Academic paper
Intelligence: Human, AI, Hybrids - Randal Koene, David Eagleman, Robert McIntyre, Nell Watson. Foresight Vision Weekend panel on potential future mind architectures. Video
Coalescing Minds: Group mind-related Uploading Scenarios- Kaj Sotjala. On the possibility of group minds emerging from WBEs. Academic paper
Whole Brain Emulation and the Evolution of Superorganisms – Carl Shulman. Discusses the potential development of intelligence via human brain emulation, and theorizes their emergence could present both risks to human values and potential solutions to coordination problems. Academic paper
2024 Neurotech, BCI and WBE for AI Safety Workshop Report - Foresight Institute. Misc.
From Brain Preservation to Reconstruction - Carboncopies’ workshop videos. Video

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Neurotech

Cognitive Enhancement: Methods, Ethics, Regulatory Challenges - Anders Sandberg, Nick Bostrom. A primer on the main societal challenges around cognitive enhancement. Academic paper
Cause Area: Differential Neurotechnology Development - EA Forum. Argues that neurotechnology is significantly undervalued as EA cause area given its potential implications and opportunities for differential technology development. Forum/blog-post ‍
The Edge of Sentience - Jonathan Birch. Provides a comprehensive precautionary framework for decision-making at the edge of sentience - supplying clarity and new ways forward when we face disorienting uncertainty. Academic paper

Brain Computer Interfaces

A New X-Risk Factor: Brain Computer Interfaces - Jack. On potentially catastrophic implications of BCIs regarding totalitarianism and information security. Forum/blog-post
Ethics of Brain Emulations, Is Brain Emulation Dangerous? - Anders Sandberg, Peter Eckersley. Discusses ethical challenges around WBEs. Academic paper
Criticisms of WBE - David Matthewman. Discusses risks associated with WBEs. Forum/blog-post
Could We Use Untrustworthy WBE’s to Make Trustworthy Ones? - Carl Schulman. Focuses on safety and security considerations of WBEs. Video
Sharing the World With Digital Minds - Nick Bostrom, Carl Schulman. On how current human intuitions are insufficient for living in a world with digital minds. Academic paper

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Neurotech

Fun Theory - Eliezer Yudkowsky. On why a future defined by advanced neurotechnology does not have to be boring. Forum/blog-post

Brain Computer Interfaces

What Brain Computer Interfaces Could Mean for the Future of Work - Alexandre Gonfalonieri. A business-focused outlook of the potential of BCIs. Article
The Ultimate Interface: Your Brain - Ramez Naam. On the promises of brain machine interfaces. Book
We have to Upgrade - JedMcCaleb. On BCIs as an undervalued AI safety strategy. Forum/blog-post ‍
BCI Accelerationism - Trent McConaghy. An e/acc zoom-in on brain interfaces, towards human superintelligence. Forum/blog-post

Whole Brain Emulations

Age of Em - Robin Hanson. On the economics of a world populated by human-brain emulations. Forum/blog-post
Permutation City - Greg Egan. On long-term dynamics in a human upload-defined future. Book
Embodiment in Whole Brain Emulation and its Implications for Death Anxiety - Charl Linssen, Pieter Lemmens. Explores implications of WBEs for overcoming existential angst. Academic paper
Whole Brain Emulation as Platform for AGI Safety - Anna Salamon, Carl Schulman. Focuses on AI safety implications of WBEs. Video
AI will be here soon - Max Hodak. On the dangers of artificial superintelligence and the need for brain-to-brain merging with it. Forum/blog-post

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Staying up to Date

Neurotech Group - Foresight Institute. Application-based seminar and workshop group with recordings published on Youtube. Website/blog
BestHope - Future Strategist. BCI-focused podcast episode. Video

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Organizations and Projects

Nectome - Our mission is to preserve your brain well enough to keep all its memories intact. Organizations/projects
Brain Preservation Foundation - A nonprofit research organization with the mission to promote scientific research and services development of whole brain preservation for long-term static storage. Organizations/projects
Kernel - At Kernel, our primary aim is to develop technologies to understand and treat neurological diseases in new and exciting ways. Organizations/projects
Neuralink - Neuralink is developing ultra-high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers. Organizations/projects
Carboncopies - Promoting R&D for Whole Brain Emulations. Organizations/projects
BRAIN Initiative - Produce a new dynamic picture of the brain that, for the first time, shows how individual cells and complex neural circuits interact. Organizations/projects
Human Connectome Project - Aims to provide an unparalleled compilation of neural data and an interface to graphically navigate this data. Organizations/projects
NeoSensory - Condenses decades of neuroscience research into a sleek wristband to deliver hearing solutions that are brand new, simple, and backed by science. Organizations/projects
OpenWater - Working on next generation Brain Computer Interfaces. Organizations/projects
Blackrock Neurotech - Blackrock Microsystems mission is to provide innovative tools and neurotech expertise to translate technology into novel, implantable clinical solutions that improve human lives. Organizations/projects
BCI Society - The purpose of the BCI Society is “to foster research leading to technologies that enable people to interact with the world through brain signals.” Organizations/projects
NeurotechX - A non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate the advancement of neurotechnology by providing key resources and learning opportunities, and by being leaders in local and worldwide technological initiatives. Organizations/projects
OpenBCI - Creates open-source tools for biosensing and neuroscience. Organizations/projects
Comparison of Artificial Brain Projects - Dated overview of WBE projects. Organizations/projects
Forest Neuro - Committed to empowering individuals and improving lives by developing a minimally invasive ultrasonic whole-brain computer interface. Organizations/projects
E11 - FRO. Precision brain circuit mapping for transformative neuroscience. Organizations/projects
Amaranth Foundation - A non-profit that funds ambitious research in longevity and neuroscience. Organizations/projects
Foresight's Neuro for AI Safety Grant - BCI, WBE, and "lo-fi" emulation approaches to generate human-inspired AI. Organizations/projects