Humans could achieve ‘super-intelligence’ in as little as FIVE YEARS by implanting tiny computer chips into our brains, expert claims

• Researchers working to develop smart brain implants for non-medical reasons 
• These chips could serve as brain-computer interface to boost our intelligence
• Neuroscientist developing a chip of his own predicts they'll be here in 5 years

High-tech chips implanted in the brain could soon give humans an intelligence boost.

Researchers have been working to develop minimally invasive methods to hack the human brain and squeeze out more of its potential.

Recent technological advancements could make this possible within the next five years, Northwestern University neuroscientist Dr. Moran Cerf told CBS – but, he warns the move could also create new forms of social inequality.

High-tech chips implanted in the brain could soon give humans an intelligence boost. Researchers have been working to develop minimally invasive methods to hack the human brain and squeeze out more of its potential. Stock image

‘Make it so that it has an internet connection, and goes to Wikipedia, and when I think this particular thought, it gives me the answer,’ Cerf told CBS.

The neuroscientist and business professor is currently working to develop one such chip, with the goal of improving human intelligence by melding it with technology.

This idea has taken off in recent years, with initiatives such as Elon Musk-backed Neuralink working to develop brain-computer interfaces.

DARPA has also expressed continued interest in the field as it works to enhance soldiers’ cognitive abilities and grasp on technology.

‘Everyone is spending a lot of time right now trying to find ways to get things into the brain without drilling a hole in your skull,’ Cerf told CBS.Can you eat something that will actually get to your brain? Can you eat things in parts that will assemble inside your head.’

According to Cerf, we may be just a few years away from the solution. But, its use in everyday society could make for extreme intelligence gaps within a given population. 

Just this past summer, the Pentagon’s research arm made moves in a project that intends to bridge the gap between humans and machines.

Recent technological advancements could make smart brain chips possible within the next five years, Dr Moran Cerf (pictured) says

DARPA selected a number of teams in July to develop a neural interface as part of its new N3 program, with a goal of developing systems that would allow troops to send and receive information using their brainwaves, according to Nextgov.

This means troops could one day control drones, cyber defense systems, and other technology with their mind.

It might sound like science fiction, but the agency is looking to see this done in one of two ways: a non-invasive device outside of the body, or a non-surgical system that could be swallowed, injected, or delivered up the nose.

And in spring of 2017, the agency funded eight separate research efforts to determine if electrical stimulation can safely be used to 'enhance learning and accelerate training skills.'

The program, called the Targeted Neuroplasticity Training (TNT) program, aimed to use the body's peripheral nervous system to accelerate the learning process.

This would be done by activating a process known as 'synaptic plasticity' – a key process in the brain involved in learning – with electrical stimulation.

Ultimately, doing this could allow a person to quickly master complex skills that would normally take thousands of hours of practice.

HOW IS THE US MILITARY HOPING TO 'HACK' SOLDIERS BRAINS?

Darpa's four-year Targeted Neuroplasticity Training (TNT) program aims to use the body's peripheral nervous system to accelerate the learning process.

This would be done by activating a process known as 'synaptic plasticity' – a key process in the brain involved in learning – with electrical stimulation.

Some teams will be working with intelligence analysts and foreign language specialists to shape the platform around currently training practices.

Researchers will look into using the technique across a wide range of applications, including decision-making and spatial navigation, speech perception and threat recognition.

'Imagine you're struggling to learn something new, like multiplication tables or how to hit a golf ball,' said Dr Robert Rennaker, of the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center.

'When you get it right, when that light bulb comes on, this system is being activated.

'By stimulating the vagus nerve during the learning process, we're artificially releasing these chemicals to enhance those connections active during learning.'