Episode #81 – The Brain, Now Less of a Black Box – a Neuroscience Interview with Columbia’s Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman

Dr. Steve Omohundro earned degrees in physics and mathematics from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley. Today, most of his best-known work is in the domains of natural and artificial intelligence.

It’s called “transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS),” haven’t you heard about it? The process involves zapping your brain through subtle electrical stimulation on the outside of the head - and though research has been going on in this field for decades, the mechanisms for it’s effects on mood, memory, and more, are still mostly unknown.

Dr. John MacCormick is the author of the book “Nine Algorithms That Changed the Future: The Ingenious Ideas That Drive Today's Computers,” and in this interview, he shares some of the fundamental algorithms that support modern artificial intelligence, and his optimistic views on the future of AI.

Brown's BrainGate project is hailed as one of the premier research projects in the entire field of brain-machine interface. Researchers here have given paralyzed patients the ability to move robotic arms and check emails with their thoughts alone, thanks to experimental neural implants in their motor cortex. Dr. Beata Jarosiewicz has been with BrainGate project for years, with a specific focus on interpreting neurological signals and turning them into actionable outputs.
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Dr. Ian Pearson has been working as a full-time futurologist since 1991. Being featured on BBC and other major media outlets for his predictions about the future of technology, an commissioned future prediction work for large companies like Canon, EA Games, and more.