Big Data is here to stay – and growing by the day. The issue is no longer about access to data (if it ever has been): it is more about how best to process, analyse and leverage that data for sensible purposes. Neuroscientists the world over are wrestling with that issue as these words are read – and meaningful results are being obtained in surprising areas – and at amazing speed. The implications for the defence and security world are vast – and even begin to approach some of the more fanciful hypotheses of science fiction. I Robot and Terminator may not be on the cards in the foreseeable future – but the concept behind Clint Eastwood’s thought-controlled weapons in Firefox may not be as far-fetched as they at first might seem. The fundamental issue revolves around the constraints on effective processing of Big Data: the speed at which the data can be processed and analysed; the manner in which the essential components of the data stream can be isolated and parsed for human consumption; and the way in which effective, informed decision-making can turn that data into actionable intelligence. And – in order to be effective – all the above processes need to happen in milliseconds. To attempt to bring a sense of scale to the challenge, an appropriate analogy might be trying to empty the Mediterranean through the Pillars of Hercules – in a few seconds. The key to achieving a possible breakthrough seems to be finding an effective method of harnessing the computational speed and intuitive capacity of the fastest, most adaptable computer yet discovered – the human brain. With in excess of 100 billion neurons capable of handling and transmitting data, the unique nature of each individual’s brain lends itself (we are told) to the achievement of very effects-oriented results. Big Data in – informed action out. Simple. Except it isn’t. The science is in its infancy at the moment, by comparison with Humankind’s mastery of some of the ‘lesser’ physical sciences. Neuroscientists may, indeed, represent the future of defence technology (and other disciplines), but there is a long way to go yet before some of the nightmarish scenarios of our science fiction writers even approach realization. The ethical debate will continue to rage – and is not a subject to be examined here. But the neuroscience genie is even more reluctant to crawl back into the bottle than the nuclear one – and the holistic impact on society may be far, far greater than the ability to split the atom. Integrating the science of electroencephalography (EEG) with artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning (the last being best defined, perhaps, as ‘scalable machine learning’) – is something at which a handful of companies, such as the San Francisco-based bioinformatics firm EMOTIV, are becoming reasonably adept. Perusal of several of EMOTIV’s white papers – and scanning similar papers in peer-reviewed neuroscience journals – reveals the scale of the challenges to be overcome in translating ambition into something approaching reality. It also reveals the potential benefits accruing to success – although still on the distant horizon, the prospects are rapidly becoming more solid than mirage. Although the challenges are many and huge, the emergence of our ability to better handle Big Data means we are better equipped than we have ever been. Over 80% of the serious literature on the subject has been published in just the last three years – a clear indication of the process of acceleration in potentially bringing aspects of the technology to fruition. The development of effective, pragmatic brain-computer interface (BCI) devices is proceeding apace and we are, perhaps, not that far away from having practical demonstrations at scale beyond the laboratory environment. From a military perspective, however, the concerns are multiple and profound. Given the propensity of the human brain for distraction, how will militaries instill the discipline required to prolong mental acuity and control over devices? How can hacking be prevented? Could a more powerful or disciplined brain dominate or bully an operator into making an error in control of a device – or withdrawing from the fray? If critical infrastructure protection, for example, may in the future be effected by operators controlling remote devices by thought, how easy might it be for hostile actors to seduce the operator’s attention – even if only for the fractions of a second required to mount an electronic attack? All these questions have few objective answers at the moment – but neuroscience is stepping up to the challenge as investigations and experiments continue. One of the biggest concerns is to prevent the ‘disassociative complex’ that manifested itself in early UAS operations, when ‘pilots’ sitting in the Nevada desert and controlling drones 7,500 miles away gave scant thought to the effects their operations might have in terms of collateral damage, for example. But the prize is worth the effort. Quite apart from the benefits to commerce from a better understanding of individual behaviour (you thought Google ads were well targeted today – just wait!) the potential applications for government are legion. Security and border control, with far quicker and more accurate facial recognition abilities; counter-terrorism; planning and rehearsal of complex operations (amphibious landings, hostage rescue); single individual control of swarms of unmanned assets; and enhancing virtual/augmented reality simulations for training – perhaps the lowest-hanging fruit to be plucked right now. The challenges should not be under-estimated. But the future would appear to be approaching at breakneck speed. Perhaps at the speed of thought! The advances being made in neuroscience are made more obvious by the emergence of ‘brainwear’ aimed at encouraging safe participation, engagement and experimentation by a wider public. (Photo: EMOTIV) Final Frontiers – Emerging technologies observatory Tim Mahon The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Neuroscientist AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning in Defence Tim Mahon is Editor-in-Chief of Mönch Online. The melding of human brain and machine – intellectually and virtually, rather than physically – is now a real prospect, giving rise to intense speculation as to potential governmental use cases. (Photo: Rand Corporation) Emerging Technologies MT 2/2023 · 49 f
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