irony inc.

Today on Mystery Science Theatre: The Open Stim Wiki

An open wiki for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator technology; a method of applying magnetic fields to the external of the skull, creating electric currents within the neurons of the brain resulting in modifications to cognition.

The project hopes to encourage backyard brain experimentation, create a community of amateur brain hackers and hopefully even produce a low cost, simple-to-build mind altering device.

Dr. Ed Boyden displays the small prototype Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation machine built by his students at the Neuroengineering and Neuromedia Lab at MIT. The copper coils generate magnetic fields that creates a current in adjacent brain tissue.

Quote: “Our goal is to design a simple, safe, effective TMS device for modulation of emotion, sleep, attention, and other central nervous system properties. Many commercial entities sell TMS hardware and software, often for prices exceeding $50,000. We will devise a TMS device that will be constructable by a practitioner skilled in electrical engineering, for less than $400.”

This is, without hyperbole, the single most exciting and scary thing I’ve ever heard.

This project aims to create a world where a sparky with $400 can build a device that allows him to manipulate his, or anyone else’s sensations and emotions. Is this legal? Disseminating information for building simple, cheap, easily made devices for harmlessly, temporarily and non-invasively manipulating the working of the human brain? This is ok? Hell, I’m fine with it. Transhumanism FTW. I just assumed this was another one of those areas where I’d be on my own, shrugging and going “..what? Just me?”.

I mean, this is drugs. From a practical standpoint, isn’t the end result of experimenting with the working of the brain through applied magnetic fields almost indistinguishable from doing the same thing through pharmacology?

The results people fear from legalized access to drugs would be just as likely to stem from widespread use of TMS for central nervous system modification. In certain ways I’d imagine TMS to be more dangerous. List? Sure.

1) Drugs are consumables. Even if you manufacture the drugs yourself, there’s still a monetary and time cost involved. This limits availability. A TMS device could constantly induce a hilarious, delicious orgasm within a person forever, and requires nothing more than electricity.

2) Larry Niven fans will tell you; the most dangerous and fear inducing weapon in the world is one that can give you pleasure against your will. Imagine a government, corporation or employer with the ability to give you pure joy. This technology with either become mainstream, used by everyone. Or will be controlled and used only by those in power. Either situation is terrifying.

3) Once perfected, TMS would be a much purer science than pharmacology. Using direct electric stimulation to create desired neurological patters vs. relying on drugs as a medium. Experiences could be tailor made and 100% reliable. Imagine the popularity of a drug that could perfectly recreate the first moment you felt pure love.

4) Instantaneous gratification without continued effect. You can’t shoot up and expect to go work right after. You could, however, hit the ‘Cum From A Blowjob From God’ button a hundred times and then go commute. This, along with the next point, would lead to a cataclysmic increase in “drug” users.

5) Drugs are stigmatized, not for their successes but their failures. It’s the unintended side-effects of drugs that people fear. Health, mental function, addiction, association with crime. None of these things are the goals of drugs or drug users, they are consequences resulting from the imperfect nature of the medium. Without any of these consequences, using TMS to achieve a perfect state of never-ending happiness forever would be.. obvious. Why wouldn’t you?

Which leads to my final most terrifying point;

If all existence is the pursuit of happiness, in one form or another, and happiness is now bottled.. what’s the point of anything else?