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[misko27]

I know I would enjoy it. I have always fantasized about being in other worlds. I love the idea of being in a story, I even make plots for games without them. To be in one of those worlds would be a dream come true.

But at the same time, I can't. I wouldn't allow it. The part of me that enjoys immersive histories and all that jazz simply wouldn't agree to it. Because it would still be fake. It wouldn't be real. It might feel real, but it wouldn't be. I would know. And that subtle distinction is what gets me up in the morning.

[Frumple]

A question, of course, it what happens to the first person that's hooked up to one from birth, as an experiment.

... and yeah, I'd probably end up addicted to a sufficiently immersive "full dive" type thing. If I could dream for literally days straight, I would, without hesitation, staying in the waking world strictly insomuch as necessary to spend time in the dreaming one.

It's almost at odds with my fairly vehement hatred of psychoactives and hallucinogens, but, well. Spending all or most my time indulging in a structured fantasy world (or my normal dreamscapes, which frankly tend toward just that) actually sounds fun and enjoyable, as opposed to anything I've heard described as a drug-induced experience. Addiction would come because actual reality is frankly kinda' bloody boring,* on a comparative level. Science is awesome and all, but those of us not terribly geared for the work of it don't really get to interact with it much, and a simulated magic system would probably be a lot more... visceral. World of difference between a flamethrower and burning things to ashes with strictly the power of your mind (as interpreted by a hyperadvanced program, but whatev').

*And anyway, by that point we'd likely be able to manage assistant AI-type stuff anyway, so there'd be no real need to come out. Let the bots or digital mind-clones do the work necessary in reality. I'll stay where it's actually interesting.

[SalmonGod]

Not really different in principle than immersing oneself in any form of media now.

[Dwarf4Explosives]

I'd prefer just enhancing my capabilities with a computerized mind, hooking that up to some nanobots (containing flammables and sparkers), because I'd have to worry less about the program making an accident. Although I would first try the VR thing so doing it in real life will feel even more fun (along the lines of "Hah, those suckers are setting things on fire with their minds in their minds, while I'm doing the real thing". It's not really the most rational way of viewing things, but that seems like the most likely emotional reaction).

[wierd]

I dunno.

Personally, I would be interested in performing some experiments on myself concerning the adaptability and plasticity of organic neurons.

FunFact-- it isn't the computer that is programmed to communicate with brains so much as brains learning to process signals sent by the computer that is "the big fancy thing" with current BCIs.

We are contemplating a far distant future, with much more mature versions of the technology we already have. One of those technologies that we already have is tissue printing. It is currently very primitive, but by the time we have complex autonomous AIs, matrix virtual worlds, and post scarcity economies-- We should have some pretty advanced tissue printing capabilities.  I would be tempted to see just *how* adaptable the human nervous system is to having things tacked onto it-- Specifically, additional discrete biological processing systems. (not whole brains; that would be unethical. More.. flat layers of printed neural matter embedded in a combination lifesupport and interface framework. See what the scalability limit is on biological intelligence is. )

Again, I wouldn't do that kind of experiment on somebody else, I'd do it on myself instead. perfectly ethical that way.

I could still lead a more or less "normal" life inside a virtual habitat while performing this research, since the virtual manifestation of myself is not bound to the same rules as the physical self.

If not doing said research myself, I would be acutely interested in anyone who did, and what their results were. If successful, it would open a LOT of doors.

[Descan]

One of my end-goals in Neuroengineering is increasing brain power, either with bio-matter (neurons) or some machine analog.

So... I'll get back to you?

[misko27]

A question, of course, it what happens to the first person that's hooked up to one from birth, as an experiment.

That experiment would be so hilariously unethical they'd retroactively revoke every license you have.

[Singularity125]

Definitely posting to watch.

On topic: Yeah, I probably would plug in to a virtual reality if it was safe. And I would probably get addicted. I play a lot of videogames as it is that aren't even remotely immersive. As long as there was some timer or reminder function... I wouldn't want it to be SO immersive that I forget I'm in a simulation. That could be bad, heh.

As for augmenting my body with technology, well... I sure like my technology but I would be worried about bugs, especially if it's hooked up to my nerves directly. Maybe in a distant future I would, once all of the possible issues have been worked through, but it's not something I'd be an early adopter for.

[LeoLeonardoIII]

People who like screwing with others and people who like controlling and/or monitoring others always find a way into any technology, regardless of legality or lethality. I could never have a computer implanted for that reason - unless it was necessary, like a pacemaker or robotic limb. And even then I'd get the model that doesn't have wireless access - at least touch my induction plate to give me a firmware update.

It amazes me nobody has figured out how to peel cars with computers off the road. A pair of hackers did figure out how to control everything computerized (including being able to apply brakes) in a Toyota, but they had to connect to the car's diagnostic port. If they could get in via the wireless communication systems ... let's just say the hackers of 2050 will probably never get stuck in traffic.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

"If they could" is kind of irrelevant in this case. If it's hardwired, it's hardwired.

[wierd]

That depends on how stupidly the vehicle's computer system is designed.

Say for instance, if the vehicle is designed to accept OTA firmware upgrades from the OEM manufacturer.

The hacker just pushes a "very special" firmware upgrade, and that car is his bitch.

Very similar to consumer grade routers, and pushing something like OpenWRT, or DDWRT on it.

If you are immensely stupid, and allow remote admin portal access on your domestic router, attackers and upload such a firmware to it stright from china, and it will happily update itself, like the good little robot it is.

Same could be true with clueless security policies hamfisted onto autonomous robot cars, being made "easy for corporate to update or disable remotely".

The difference between a whitehat and a black hat, is that the black hat doesn't care if there is harm; often times he's counting on exactly that happening.

The big thing right now is that cars lack sophisticated general purpose computing ability, and are basically glorified integrators and time loop implementations, not genuine computers.

When autonomous cars are the norm, that won't be the case anymore, and they will have quite a bit of onboard processing power and storage, with which a malicious software developer could have a considerable amount of fun.

[LordBucket]

Slight change of topic: What do you guys think of Matrix-style brain-computer interfaces?

I'd be willing to give it a try provided surgery wasn't required. Though if surgery wasn't required, that has its own fairly nightmarih possibilities. Imagine waking up in a simulated environment, and not realizing it?

After a while, everyone forgets that they're living in a virtual world, and the story follows some people who discover the truth and find their way out.

I'd find it more amusing if after forgetting that they're in a virtual world...they decided they didn't like it and so built a virtual world inside it to escape to.

[LordBucket]

One of my end-goals in Neuroengineering is increasing brain power,
either with bio-matter (neurons) or some machine analog.

I suspect this would be relatively easy to do if one were willing to be loose with the ethics. We already have functional brain computer interface devices like braingate. Relevant video

We probably have the technology to do what you want right now. Just hook one up to a calculator on a microchip instead of a prosthesis, implant it into the brain, and there you go. Probably take some trial and error to figure out best place to put it, and some time to learn to interface with it, but we have all the technology. It's just a matter of doing it.

Speaking of prosthesis, need to get the braingate people hooked up with the bebionic prosthesis people, and maybe the Kokoro Dreams robot people for something that looks like flesh, and yeah...full on cyborgs are pretty much here within a couple years.

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Absolutely, a couple years. 

[Graknorke]

Absolutely, a couple years. 

And then fusion power in 15!