How to control someone else's arm with your brain | Greg Gage

翻译人员: Geran Wen 校对人员: Zhiting Chen

The brain is an amazing and complex organ.

大脑是个很神奇又复杂的器官。

And while many people are fascinated by the brain,

尽管很多人都对大脑十分着迷，

他们却讲不出太多关于大脑的特征，

they can't really tell you that much

about the properties about how the brain works

以及它是怎样工作的，

因为学校没有神经科学的课。

because we don't teach neuroscience in schools.

And one of the reasons why is that the equipment

其中一个原因就是

is so complex and so expensive

相应的设备太复杂又太昂贵，

that it's really only done at major universities and large institutions.

这些研究只有在高等学府 和大型研究机构才能进行。

And so in order to be able to access the brain,

所以为了能够接触到大脑，

you really need to dedicate your life

你几乎需要奉献终生，

and spend six and a half years as a graduate student

花六年半的时间在研究生院学习，

just to become a neuroscientist to get access to these tools.

只为了成为神经科学家 好能够使用那些设备。

And that's a shame because one out of five of us,

很遗憾的是， 我们每五个人当中就有一个，

that's 20 percent of the entire world, will have a neurological disorder.

也就是全球人口的20% 会受神经性失调的困扰。

And there are zero cures for these diseases.

然而还没有任何方法能治愈这些疾病。

And so it seems that what we should be doing

这么看来，我们应当

is reaching back earlier in the eduction process

从教育的更早期阶段开始

and teaching students about neuroscience so that in the future,

就传授给学生神经科学的知识， 这样在将来，

they may be thinking about possibly becoming a brain scientist.

他们或许会考虑成为脑神经科学家。

当我还是一名研究生的时候， 就与同实验室的 Tim Marzullo 决定，

When I was a graduate student, my lab mate Tim Marzullo and myself,

decided that what if we took this complex equipment that we have

将我们现在研究大脑用的复杂仪器

for studying the brain and made it simple enough and affordable enough

进行简化，价格能足够亲民，

that anyone that you know, an amateur or a high school student,

让任何人， 从神经科学爱好者到高中生，

could learn and actually participate in the discovery of neuroscience.

都能够学习并参与到 探索神经科学的过程当中。

And so we did just that.

于是我们这样做了。

A few years ago, we started a company called Backyard Brains

几年前，我们成立了一家 名叫 Backyard Brains (大脑后院) 的公司，

and we make DIY neuroscience equipment and I brought some here tonight,

主要生产DIY的神经科学仪器， 我今天带来了一些，

and I want to do some demonstrations.

打算为大家做现场的演示。

You guys want to see some?

你们想看吗？

So I need a volunteer.

我需要一个志愿者。

So right before -- what is your name? (Applause)

首先—— 你叫什么名字？ （掌声）

Sam Kelly: Sam.

Sam Kelly: Sam。

Greg Gage: All right, Sam, I'm going to record from your brain.

Greg Gage：很好，Sam， 我接下来要记录你的脑部活动了。

Have you had this before?

你以前做过这个实验吗？

SK: No.

SK：没有。

GG: I need you to stick out your arm for science,

GG：我需要你为了科学伸出胳膊，

roll up your sleeve a bit,

稍微卷起你的袖子，

So what I'm going to do, I'm putting electrodes on your arm,

我接下来要做的， 是在你的胳膊上贴几个电极，

and you're probably wondering,

你可能在想，

我刚说我要记录你的大脑， 这跟胳膊有什么关系？

I just said I'm going to record from your brain, what am I doing with your arm?

Well, you have about 80 billion neurons inside your brain right now.

其实，此时此刻在你的 大脑内有800亿神经元。

They're sending electrical messages back and forth, and chemical messages.

它们在来回发送电信号和化学信号。

But some of your neurons right here in your motor cortex

但在这里有一些 位于你的运动皮质的神经元，

are going to send messages down when you move your arm like this.

你这样运动胳膊的时候 会向下发送信号。

They're going to go down across your corpus callosum,

这些信号会向下穿过胼胝体，

down onto your spinal cord to your lower motor neuron

进入你的脊髓， 到达下运动神经元，

再到达你这里的肌肉，

out to your muscles here,

and that electrical discharge is going to be picked up

这种电信号释放

会被这里的电极接收，

by these electrodes right here

and we're going to be able to listen

于是我们就能够听到

to exactly what your brain is going to be doing.

你的大脑到底想要做些什么。

So I'm going to turn this on for a second.

我来打开这个东西。

Have you ever heard what your brain sounds like?

你有听过你的大脑的声音吗？

SK：没有。

SK: No.

GG：来试试吧。 来试着抬肘握一下拳。

GG: Let's try it out. So go ahead and squeeze your hand.

(Rumbling)

（隆隆声）

So what you're listening to,

你现在听到的，

so this is your motor units happening right here.

这就是你的运动单元 正在此处发挥作用。

Let's take a look at it as well.

我们也来看一下好了。

So I'm going to stand over here,

我会站在这里，

我需要打开我们的应用程序。

and I'm going to open up our app here.

So now I want you to squeeze.

现在握一下拳，

(Rumbling)

（隆隆声）

So right here, these are the motor units that are happening

就在这儿，这些就是 正在起作用的运动单元，

from her spinal cord out to her muscle right here,

从她的脊椎延伸到这里的肌肉，

伴随着她的动作，

and as she's doing it,

你可以看到这里的电信号活动。

you're seeing the electrical activity that's happening here.

你甚至可以点进去看其中的一个。

You can even click here and try to see one of them.

继续不停地使劲握拳。

So keep doing it really hard.

我们现在暂停在

此时此刻正在你脑内的 一个运动电势。

So now we've paused

on one motor action potential that's happening right now inside of your brain.

Do you guys want to see some more?

你们想看更多的吗？

(Applause)

（掌声）

That's interesting, but let's get it better.

刚才的那个挺有趣的， 不过还有更有意思的。

I need one more volunteer.

我还需要一名志愿者。

What is your name, sir?

先生，请问你的名字是？

Miguel Goncalves: Miguel.

Miguel Goncalves：Miguel

GG: Miguel, all right.

GG：好的，Miguel。

You're going to stand right here.

你需要站在这里。

So when you're moving your arm like this,

（对SK）当你在这样握拳的时候，

your brain is sending a signal down to your muscles right here.

你的大脑向你这里的肌肉发出了信号。

I want you to move your arm as well.

（对MG）我想让你也像那样握拳。

So your brain is going to send a signal down to your muscles.

你的大脑也将向你的肌肉发出信号。

And so it turns out that there is a nerve that's right here

实际上这里有一根神经

that runs up here that innervates these three fingers,

一路上来并支配这三根手指的活动，

and it's close enough to the skin that we might be able

而这根神经又离皮肤足够近， 让我们能够

to stimulate that so that what we can do

刺激它，所以我们能做的

is copy your brain signals going out to your hand

是复制从你（SK）的大脑 向手臂发出的信号,

and inject it into your hand,

并把这个信号注入到你(MG)手臂里，

so that your hand will move when your brain tells your hand to move.

于是你的手臂会在 你（SK）的大脑告诉手臂要动的时候动。

So in a sense, she will take away your free will

所以从某种意义上说， （对MG）她会夺走你的自由意志，

and you will no longer have any control over this hand.

你将无法控制你自己的这只手。

You with me?

你明白了吗？

So I just need to hook you up.

我需要把你连接上。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So I'm going to find your ulnar nerve,

我要找到你的尺神经，

which is probably right around here.

大概在这个位置。

You don't know what you're signing up for

你上台的时候还不知道

when you come up.

将要发生什么吧。

So now I'm going to move away and we're going to plug it in

我现在要让开，并连接好

我们的人对人互动界面。

to our human-to-human interface over here.

Okay, so Sam, I want you to squeeze your hand again.

好了，Sam，我想请你再次握一下拳。

Do it again. Perfect.

再做一次。好的，完美。

So now I'm going to hook you up over here so that you get the --

（对MG）我现在要把你连接上， 这样你就能接收到——

刚开始会觉得有点奇怪，

It's going to feel a little bit weird at first,

this is going to feel like a -- (Laughter)

你会觉得 -- （笑声）

You know, when you lose your free will, and someone else becomes your agent,

你懂的，当你失去了意志， 别人成为了你的代理人，

it does feel a bit strange.

这的确会感觉有点奇怪。

Now I want you to relax your hand.

我现在需要你放松你的手。

Sam, you're with me?

Sam，你有在听吧？

So you're going to squeeze.

你现在握拳。

I'm not going to turn it on yet, so go ahead and give it a squeeze.

我还没要打开机器呢， 所以不要担心，先握一下。

那么现在，你准备好了吗，Miguel？

So now, are you ready, Miguel?

MG: Ready as I'll ever be.

MG：我已经迫不及待了。

GG: I've turned it on, so go ahead and turn your hand.

GG：我已经打开仪器了， （对SK）现在试着握一下拳。

Do you feel that a little bit? MG: Nope.

你感觉到了吗？ MG：没有。

GG: Okay, do it again? MG: A little bit.

GG：好，（对SK）再试一次？ MG：有一点。

GG: A little bit? (Laughter)

GG：有一点？ （笑声）

So relax.

好，放松。

So hit it again.

（对SK）再握一次。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Oh, perfect, perfect.

完美，完美。

So relax, do it again.

放松，再来一次。

好的，此时此刻，

All right, so right now,

your brain is controlling your arm and it's also controlling his arm,

你的大脑控制着你的胳膊， 同时也在控制他的胳膊，

so go ahead and just do it one more time.

那现在再来一次。

All right, so it's perfect. (Laughter)

很好，简直太完美了。 （笑声）

So now, what would happen if I took over my control of your hand?

接下来，如果由我来控制你的手呢？

And so, just relax your hand.

放松你的手。

What happens?

发生了什么？

Ah, nothing.

啊哦，什么都没有。

Why not?

为什么呢？

Because the brain has to do it.

因为需要大脑去控制。

So you do it again.

你再来一次。

All right, that's perfect.

很好，这很完美。

Thank you guys for being such a good sport.

谢谢你们如此精彩的配合。

This is what's happening all across the world --

这就是目前全世界都在研究的 ——

electrophysiology!

电生理学！

We're going to bring on the neuro-revolution.

我们要引领神经学的革命。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)