On Fri, 7 Dec 2001, Eliezer S. Yudkowsky wrote:
> WOW!
>
> http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20011204S0068
> (Spotted by Brian Atkins.)
I thought so too but if you read between the lines this
appears to be a classic case of the press (or scientists)
over-promoting the results.
My reading of the data thus far seems to indicate this
is nothing more than the "equivalent" of antibody mediated
targeting of molecules or labels. It doesn't indicate
that they have "real" I/O between the external light
sensing molecules and the internal state of the neuron.
The article perhaps suggests that they hope to accomplish
this in the future but I don't see anything suggesting
they have accomplished that at this time. If you put
on your "CCSC" (caca claim sensing cap) it should raise
red flags. Neuron firing is due to activation of voltage
gated ion channels. It seems dubious whether quantum
dots, attached to the outside of neurons by peptides
would be able to trigger these effects. Not impossible
mind you, but it seems one would need peptides that
bind quite specifically to the external portion of ion
channels. Nothing in the article suggests that that is
the case to me.
In contrast the studies I reported earlier from UCSD
involving "photographs" of growth of axons and the
establishment of synaptic connections really *do*
appear to involve I/O between external stimulation
and internal changes in the neuronal structure.
Robert
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