Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

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Spinal Cord Signal Intercept Passthrough
Sensory port.
 
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Eventually, a method will be found to create and implant electrodes that could fit individual nerve-endings. The brave experimental subject's spinal cord is severed at the neck (with life-support equipment attached where it counts beforehand) and a small section of the spinal column is removed. Wires of microscopic diameter are fitted to each nerve-ending, and connected to a mechanism that allows impulses to travel through as before, as well as providing a high-bandwith "bus" whereby these signals may be monitored or modified. Thus, the user would have a port on the back of their neck, to which a computer connection would allow the recording and playback of below-the-neck sensation of any form (as mentioned in literature, but never explained specifically how it could be done, as far as I have seen.)

dsm, May 30 2001

Brainstorm http://us.imdb.com/Title?0085271
Natalie Wood's last movie. Features a less invasive implementation of this idea. [td, May 30 2001, last modified Oct 17 2004]

[link]






       Low tech version of this overroute exists, known as 'kick in the seat of the pants.'

reensure, May 30 2001
  

       Wasn't something similar to this done in eXistenZ? Though if I remember rightly the spinal ports were stuck in near the base. And that was real life, right? I mean, we're not still in the game?

-alx, May 30 2001
  

       Death only occurs if it's above a certain point (the nerves controlling the diaphragm and breathing).   

       dsm, Why? Does this serve a purpose?

UnaBubba, May 30 2001
  

       [UnaBubba] look at the category -- health: sexual aid. The idea is like the brainwave recorder in Brainstorm (see link.)

td, May 30 2001
  

       I'm thinking that I wouldn't want someone to disconnect my perfectly good spinal column.

bspollard, Dec 11 2002
  

       This belongs in the input device category, and the display category also if it exists. A sexual aid is a rather limited application of the device, and it's not even mentioned in the idea. (It's not a terribly original idea mind you but I'll let that slide.)

Madcat, Nov 01 2003
  

       Those nerves are both sensory and motor, and I can't think of a single person who would want their motor nerves connected to a bus.

Overpanic, Nov 02 2003
  
      
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