Can China control pigeons with micro electrodes in their brains?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the feasibility and implications of using micro electrodes to control pigeons, as reported by Chinese scientists. Participants explore various aspects of this technology, including its potential applications, ethical considerations, and comparisons to historical examples of animal control in military contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants reference historical instances of animal control in military operations, such as "bat bombs" and "Acoustic Kitty," to contextualize the current research on pigeons.
  • There is speculation about the potential for using controlled pigeons for espionage, with suggestions of equipping them with cameras or microphones.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the practicality and ethical implications of implanting micro electrodes in animals, with questions about the variability in brain wiring and the potential for causing pain.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the effectiveness of this technology, suggesting it may not work as intended.
  • Humorous suggestions are made about using pigeons for unconventional purposes, such as "remote controlled poop dive-bombers."
  • There are discussions about the broader implications of such technology, including the potential for controlling other animals and the challenges of detecting such devices in wildlife.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of skepticism and intrigue regarding the technology, with no clear consensus on its feasibility or ethical implications. Some are doubtful about its practicality, while others entertain the idea of its potential applications.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in understanding the technology's effectiveness, ethical considerations, and the variability in animal responses to neural implants. There are also references to historical examples that may not directly correlate with current research.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in the intersection of technology, ethics, and animal behavior, as well as those curious about military applications of animal control, may find this discussion relevant.

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There were bat bombs in WWII, Acoustic Kitty thanks to that other government agency, dolphins de-mining harbors, robotic mice to help search and resue, and now China brings the world...

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/02/27/china.pigeon.reut/index.html

According to the article:
Scientists in eastern China say they have succeeded in controlling the flight of pigeons with micro electrodes planted in their brains, state media reported on Tuesday.

Scientists at the Robot Engineering Technology Research Centre at Shandong University of Science and Technology said their electrodes could command them to fly right or left or up or down, Xinhua news agency said.

"The implants stimulate different areas of the pigeon's brain, according to signals sent by the scientists via computer and force the bird to comply with their commands," Xinhua said.

----

If China publically has this, makes you wonder what the CIA already had?

Everytime I see any bird pearching near a white house window, I'm going to wonder...
 
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Now if it can perfect robo-humans we won't see a repeat of Tiananmen square:smile:
 
We could use these pigeons to investigate the happenings of area 51.

Wonder how the security at the base would defend against such an intel nightmare.
 
I guess it would be impractical, imagine a pigeon with a wireless camera on it.
Like writing on your forehead "I'm a spy"
 
ziad1985 said:
I guess it would be impractical, imagine a pigeon with a wireless camera on it.
Like writing on your forehead "I'm a spy"

Remember how small cameras are these days, not only that but the Russians developed a tiny non electrical device that when radio waves were bounced off it, it could pick up sound. Those bugs remained undetected for years during the cold war.

How about a Cockroach ala The Fifth Element, or a fly?

Who cares about area 51, let's put fly spies in Iran and China and North Korea :smile:
 
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The photograph in the Reuters report looked quite grim. Not sure what the end goal of this research is, I thought that neural implants had been pretty much dismissed due to everybodies brain being wired slightly differently.

How many Pidgeons found that pain receptors were triggered rather than flight muscles?

I'm all for injecting fluffy bunnies with drugs to cure diseases, but I'm not sure where this sort of research is taking us.
 
It makes me wonder what the limits are for this technology.

As for the pigeons and where the research is taking us: Remote controlled poop dive-bombers.
 
I don't know something tell me that it won't work.
But if it can be done, then I guess the Chinese already have all the info they would ever spy there way into..
 
ziad1985 said:
I don't know something tell me that it won't work.
But if it can be done, then I guess the Chinese already have all the info they would ever spy there way into..

No it's not possible atm, but who knows, I was joking around.:smile:
 
  • #10
How can such a diabolical instrument of government imagination be protected against? How do the secret service agents know that the birds or other wildlife in the lawn are not foreign agents? They don't really even need a camera on the bird, just a microphone and a ditigal recorder to gather information. And I doubt they are going to stop at pigeons, vultures for example would carry a more massive payload.
 
  • #11
Ivan Seeking said:
As for the pigeons and where the research is taking us: Remote controlled poop dive-bombers.

Have we discovered which area of their brain controls sphincter release?
 
  • #12
control pigeons ? it's nothing , some people control human being for fun.

take a look at this:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/10/25/financial/f133702D73.DTL
 
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