?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Consciousness+in+mixed+systems%3A+merging+artificial+and+biological+minds+via+Brain-Machine+Interface&rft.creator=Elbakyan%2C+Alexandra&rft.subject=Computational+Neuroscience&rft.subject=Human+Computer+Interaction&rft.subject=Philosophy+of+Mind&rft.description=The+rapidly+developing+field+of+Brain-Machine+Interface+(BMI)+technology+seeks+to+establish+a+direct+communication-and-control+channel+between+human+brain+and+machines.+Practical+applications+for+BMI+include+restoration+of+lost+vision+and+motor+functions%2C+and+even+extending+normal+human+capabilities.%0D%0ABut+unfortunately+current+BMI+systems+are+far+too+poor+to+achieve+even+a+level+of+performance+that+is+comparable+to+what+humans+are+normally+capable+of%2C+let+alone+improving+it.+And+this+situation+holds+on+for+quite+a+while.+The+possible+solution+for+coming+out+is+to+move+research+focus+to+those+aspects+of+brain-machine+interaction+that+usually+do+not+receive+much+attention.%0D%0AThe+study+of+consciousness+is+one+of+such+important+aspects%2C+as+this+poster+seeks+to+prove%2C+that+could+eventually+allow+us+to+bring+BMI+technology+to+the+advanced+stages%2C+making+its+capabilities+closer+to+capabilities+of+those+BMI+devices+that+appear+in+science+fiction.+Understanding+consciousness+and+how+it+arises+from+the+brain+is+crucial+for+achieving+that+goal.%0D%0AAnd+BMI+technology+itself+provides+a+lot+of+new+questions+and+opportunities+for+consciousness+research.+BMI+can+progress+far+enough+to+allow+such+levels+of+integration+between+artificial+devices+and+biological+neural+networks+that+they+could+work+as+a+single+system%2C+not+just+separate+entities+communicating+between+each+other.+But+how+consciousness+can+then+be+represented+in+this+mixed+system%3F+Will+consciousness+be+privilege+of+living+part+only%3F+Can+the+artificial+part+add+something+to+conscious+experience+or+even+expand+it%3F+Furthermore%2C+it+would+be+possible+to+integrate+neural+systems+of+different+living+organisms+by+interfacing+them+to+single+artificial+network.+Will+their+consciousness+be+integrated+then+too%3F+And+how+can+such+integrated+mind+be+experienced%3F%0D%0AThis+poster+explores+ways+in+which+Brain-Machine+Interfaces+can+contribute+to+consciousness+research%2C+and+discusses+how+better+understanding+of+consciousness+in+context+of+brain-machine+interaction+will+allow+us+to+build+BMI+systems+with+extended+capabilities.&rft.date=2010-04-14&rft.type=Conference+Poster&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6828%2F1%2FqualitativeBMI.pdf&rft.identifier=++Elbakyan%2C+Alexandra++(2010)+Consciousness+in+mixed+systems%3A+merging+artificial+and+biological+minds+via+Brain-Machine+Interface.++%5BConference+Poster%5D++++(In+Press)++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6828%2F