Page - 247 - in Cyborg Mind - What Brain–Computer and Mind–Cyberspace Interfaces Mean for Cyberneuroethics

Glossary • 247 Closed-loop control neuronal interfaces: record neuronal activity to guide a device. The user then receives sensory feedback and is able to learn to better control the system in the future. Passive neuronal interface systems: record the user’s neuronal activity and converts this information into instructions. Used in a game, for example, this could adjust general parameters to sustain a desired state of immersion. Active neuronal interface systems: record the user’s neuronal activity, but enables him or her to deliberately alter his or her level of brain activity to control the equipment. In a game, the user might imagine movement to make a character move on a screen. Reactive neuronal interface systems: record neuronal activity that is trig- gered by the user responding to events. This may be an uncontrolled reac- tion to sudden loud noise or the appearance of a particular character or feature in a game. Neurons: the cells present in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Neuroprosthetics: artificial devices that restore or replace a missing brain function that has been lost through trauma, disease or congenital conditions. Positron emission tomography (PET): a procedure in which a radioac- tive tracer molecule is injected into the body whereby detectors placed around the head or other body part being imaged can sense the radioac- tive decay of the tracer molecule. This allows the reconstruction of images of the brain or other organs where the image is sensitive to the particular molecule used. PET allows for both measurement of blood flow changes consequent to brain activity as well as the distribution and quantity of specific brain receptors, so long as a radio-ligand that targets that receptor can be synthesised. Posthumanism: the idea that possible future beings that originated from humans or humanity can be developed, whose basic capacities so radically exceed those of present humans as to no longer be considered as human in any significant degree or form.1 This open access edition has been made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license thanks to the support of Knowledge Unlatched. Not for resale.