X-Message-Number: 8624
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 1997 17:29:28 -0400
From: Rafi Haftka <>
Subject: Catching up with computers

Can humans attain the intelligence of future computers?

I have followed some of the recent postings on whether computers can become
conscious and truly intelligent. Because I think that this is highly
likely, a more interesting question is whether we can catch up with
computers once they attained consciousness. Contemplating this question may
be useful even if you do not believe that computers can become conscious
intelligent entities, because the boundaries between humans and computers
may become fuzzier in the future than they are today.

Consider the following scenario for a first step:

In a few (probably less than 20) years, it may become possible to connect a
digital camera and a computer to the optic nerve of people with eye damage,
so as to simulate the signals sent from the eye to that nerve. Besides
restoring sight, this will give users the ability to archive everything
they  see in computer memories, for easy access in the future. Possibly, at
the end of each day, a user would edit the day's images, and prepare
snapshot files or future reference. For example, if a movie  was seen on
that day, a couple of memorable scenes and the credits for the movie could
be filed in that snapshot archive.

As a next step, the user may use a voice recognition system to flash the
snapshot file to their optic nerve whenever they pronounced the name of the
movie, thus assuring instant `recall' of the highlights of the movie. Of
course,  a user may take advantage of snapshot files prepared by others for
selected topics. For example, pronouncing the name of a movie will elicit a
snapshot prepared by a movie reviewer.

With this arrangement, formerly blind people may be better off than
sighted but unwired humans.

I am sure everybody can dream up sequels to this  step that would lead to
bionic humans, where bionic refers not to improved muscles, but to improved
mental powers.

Long life,

Rafi Haftka

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        Raphael(Rafi) T. Haftka                      <  >
      University of Florida                  Phone: (352)-392-9595
 Department of Aerospace Engineering,         Fax: (352)-392-7303
  Mechanics and Engineering Science         http://www.aero.ufl.edu/~haftka/
     Gainesville, FL 32611-6250               Please note new area code.
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