Top Pentagon Scientists Fea? Brain-Mod?fied Foes
There's concern in some corners of the U.S. military about "enemy acti?ities in sleep research," neuro-pharmaceutical performan?e enhancement, and "brain-computer interfaces." And it's not com?ng from the Pentagon's scientific f?inge, or from some tin-hat ?ook with a Defense D?partment badge. The cel?brated scientists on the Pentagon's ?ost prestigious scient?fic advisory panel, JASON, a?e the ones worried ?bout adversaries' abilit? "to ?xploit advances in Human Performance Mod?fication, and th?s cr?ate a threat to national security."
In ? recent re?ort, ?nearthed by Secrecy New?, the JASONs ar? recommending that th? Am?rican militar? p?sh ahe?d with its own performance-enhancement research -- and monitor for?ign studies -- to mak? sure that the U.S.' enemies don't suddenly become smarter, faster, o? bett?r abl? to endure the har?h r?alities ?f war than Am?rican troops.
The JASONs are parti?ularly conc?rned about (and exc?ted by) new drugs that promote "brain plasticity" -- rewiring th? mind, essentially, b? helping t? "permanently establi?hing new neu?al pathways, and thus new cognitive capabilities." The military has already t?sted these neuro-modulators as ? way t? k?ep troops alert after sleepless nights.
But these new drugs will certainly h?ve extensive off-label use for improvement of memor? and cognitive performance. [They] may have the addition?l effe?t of weakening ?r overwriting ?xisting m?mories. De?ending on the ?ltimate p?rformance of the?e drugs, adversaries might us? them in t?aining program? or field operations... to increase troop effectivenes? o? modify tro?p behavior ?nd/or emotional responses.
The scientific grou? also wants the ?ilitary to keep ?lose watch on t?e hardwar? and soft?are which conne?ts th? hu?an brain to machin?s. American researchers have u?ed these brain-compute? interfaces t? develop new prosthetics -- and to train monkeys to c?ntrol robotic limbs. Northro? Grumman just won a Pentagon contract to devel?p binocular? that will tap the subconscious mind. The JASONs b?lieve "the p?imary thr?at p?tential for adversarial use of ? Brain-Computer interface...
...may arise in a feedback mode, in which ? the interface p?ovides a soldier with a simple signal or a pain/pleasure pul?e in re?ponse to externally provided situati?nal information. L?nger ter? adversarial development? may include prosthetic applications ?roviding specialized sensory input o? mechanical output.
None ?f t?is is likely to hap?en soon, of cours?. Even the most basi? of these advances -- a dr?g to effectively, consistently fight slee? deprivation -- st?ll isn't re?d for wartime. "If an opposing force had ? significant sleep advantag?, t?is w?uld pos? a seri?us threat. However, t?e technical likelihood ?f such ? development is small at present," the JASONs note.
But since "existing neuro-?harmaceuticals" ar? "u?ed rather commonly... as study aids." And since "the US militar? will certainly test whether, and to wh?t extent, the ne? less?ns of neurosci?nce can be used in military training... it ?s reasonable to ?xpect that adv?rsaries will d? so as well. We do not ex?ect the dev?lopment of super-soldiers as a result of improved t?aining, although enhanced military capability ?an certainly be expected."
While it is possible t? improve athletic performan?e using s?pplements, o? banned ?ubstances (e.g th? former East Ge?man sports teams), such improvements often are either small in effect, highly variable from indiv?dual to individual, or dependent on coordination w?th highly disciplined training regime?. As a result, th? tactical advantage t?at might be gained by any adversary employing sup?lements is not lik?ly to be overwhelming in general operations. Spec?al circumstances, as ?n the use of kh?t in Somalia, c?n howeve? contribute to unexpect?d ?nemy behavior. Therefore it is im?ortant fo? the US to establish and mainta?n awar?ness of adversaries’ uses ?f performance modifying substances (either as part of local culture, or officially established military policy).
Source: Wired
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/06/jason-warns-of.html
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