This Wired article reads like something straight from a William Gibson novel: Michael Chorost lost his ability to hear in 2001. A cochlear implant, a small computer installed in his skull, allows him to understand human voices again, but is not sophisticated enough to decode complex sounds. Now, Michael is on a quest for an upgrade to the processor’s software that lets him hear his favourite piece of music again.
The implant […] was a computer. Which meant that, at least in theory, its effectiveness was limited only by the ingenuity of software engineers. As researchers learn more about how the ear works, they continually revise cochlear implant software. Users await new releases with all the anticipation of Apple zealots lining up for the latest Mac OS.
This is a true story. Like Gibson said: The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.
Can’t wait for being able to tweak my own brain implants. “How come you’ve never upgraded that crappy OEM version of your neural software? Real men compile their own kernel. Or at least buy something that Just Works!”
(via Mind Hacks)