Soon You Could “Upload” Knowledge To Your Brain

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In The Matrix, Neo learns kung fu in mere seconds, if learn is even the right words for it. The information is simply “uploaded” to his brain – and presto, years of study are condensed. This kind of brain manipulation is still many years off, but researchers from HRL Laboratories say they have found a way to manipulate the brain to greatly amplify learning. They believe this is the first step instant learning à la Matrix.

To achieve this impressive feat, the team at California-bases HRL studied the electrical signals in the brain of a trained pilot. Next, they applied the acquired data by electrical brain signal manipulation to the brains of subjects learning to fly.

According to the study, subjects who underwent the procedure, learnt to fly a plane 33 percent faster than the placebo group.

“Our system is one of the first of its kind. It’s a brain stimulation system,” explained Dr Matthew Phillips. “It sounds kind of sci-fi, but there’s large scientific basis for the development of our system.”

The brain stimulation procedure exploits the inherent processes of learning to speed up the result.

“When you learn something, your brain physically changes. Connections are made and strengthened in a process called neuroplasticity. It turns out that certain functions of the brain, like speech and memory, are located in very specific regions of the brain, about the size of your pinky,” said Dr Phillips. “What our system does is it actually targets those changes to specific regions of the brain as you learn,” he added.