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Researchers at the Korean Institute for Basic Science (IBS) have announced the creation of the world’s first remote-control system for consciousness. The technology manipulates the brain from a distance using magnetic fields. The Daily Mail reported that the system is intended for use in non-invasive medical procedures.
The scientists have named their invention Nano-MIND, which stands for “Nanomagnetic Genetic Interface for Neurodynamics.” The IBS team developed specialized nanomaterials that can be genetically engineered to respond to precisely calibrated magnetic fields, allowing researchers to influence neuronal activity remotely. The method, officially termed magnetomechanical genetics (MMG), was the basis for the brain-modulation technology.
The team successfully tested the equipment on mice. During the trials, the researchers aimed to stimulate maternal instincts in the test subjects and to control their appetite.
How the Research Was Conducted
For their experiments, the researchers used specially bred, genetically modified laboratory mice. These mice had magnetically sensitive ion channels that act as gates in neurons, allowing specific ions to enter at controlled times.
In a group test focused on maternal instincts, MMG stimulation of certain female laboratory mice prompted them to locate their lost pups more quickly in a maze. The stimulated females found their young an average of 16 seconds faster and gathered them up more quickly.
The team also ran a two-week experiment with control and experimental groups of mice to see how the genetically modified animals responded to Nano-MIND’s magnetic impulses, which encouraged them to eat more or less. The technology could induce overeating or under-eating. In the experiment where MMG signals prompted the mice to eat more, their body weight increased by an average of 7.5 grams, about 18 percent. Conversely, when a group of rodents was exposed to magnetic fields aimed at reducing appetite, each mouse lost about 10 percent of its weight, roughly 4.3 grams.
What Do the Developers and Experts Think?
“This is the world’s first technology that allows free control of specific areas of the brain using magnetic fields,” said Professor Chung Jin-Woo, director of the Nanomedicine Center at IBS and a lead figure on the project.
He said the system could be applied across healthcare areas where it’s critically needed.
“We expect this system to be widely applied in research aimed at understanding brain functions, complex artificial neural networks, brain-computer interface technologies, and new methods for treating neurological disorders,” the professor stated.
Despite the science-fiction feel of remote consciousness control, healthcare experts point out that magnetic fields have been used for medical purposes for decades. “The concept of using magnetic fields to control biological systems is well established,” commented Dr. Felix Leroy, a senior researcher at the Institute of Neurology in Spain.
In an article about the Nano-MIND innovation, which involved genetic modification in mice, Dr. Leroy cautioned the developers against rushing to test the technology on humans. The research results were published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
