Tech Times. The future of computing: headsets or chip implants?
Is the future of computing a chip inside your brain, or a headset that you wear? Neuralink’s implanted brain-computer interface, or BCI, aims to allow a person to use their thoughts to control a computer. Apple’s Vision Pro promises to submerge people in virtual or augmented reality by donning a headset.
So which comes out on top? The headset, or the implant? Both technologies are at different levels of adoption. Neuralink reports it successfully made an implant on a person, who can now control a computer mouse with a thought. A widely-circulated report from MacRumours suggests that Apple may have sold 200,000 Vision Pro units.
Tech Times recently explored this topic with Vaclav Vincalek, virtual CTO and founder of 555vCTO about which technology will be the preferred choice.
Why headsets may prevail
There have been two popular schools of thought with respect to the future of computing. Some have predicted the lines between human and machine will blur, as chips become implanted directly into people. Others think that VR or AR headsets, such as the Apple Vision Pro, will dominate.
Vincalek told Tech Times there are logistical challenges and ethical dilemmas with brain implants, making headsets a more practical and non-invasive alternative.
"Implants are so invasive, it's hard to imagine the majority of the population opting to undergo what is essentially brain surgery in order to have a computer, for what, remote work?" Vincalek told TechTimes in an interview.
He said there are many questions that arise when you directly interface with the brain. There are many potential issues regarding consent, security and the potential for abuse or misuse.
It can also present some technical challenges.
"If the chip is malfunctioning, you can't just take it into your local Best Buy to diagnose the issue. You will need a highly qualified surgeon," said Vincalek.
"I would lean more towards a headset rather than an implant, simply for logistical reasons. A headset can be mass-produced. They are immediate. And most importantly, they are far less invasive than a surgically-implanted chip.”
Vincalek said the next logical step for headsets is to use them to overlay digital information onto the real world for computing and work. The devices already let users immerse themselves in digital environments.
The potential of BCIs
There are, however, some promising uses for implants. BCIs like Neuralink's chip offer promising prospects, particularly in the medical field. By giving individuals with disabilities the ability to control devices with their thoughts, it can restore functions like vision and motor skills.
While BCIs primarily focus on medical applications, their broader implications hint at seamless interaction with digital environments without physical inputs.
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