Brain hacking, part 3: sensing

Before we get into this, I came across an article which brought home to me the complexity of the information I present and try to explain. The particular article had nothing to do with what this effort is about. It was, instead, a tirade (?) about how Wikileaks was actually colluding with the Russians by presenting lines of code which the author said definitely proved her point. In so doing she presented lines of code, first in full, and then simplified for us illiterate hicks. Well, I looked at the presentation intently. I reread the central (data) part of the article again, and concluded that she might be proving the sky was blue. Now she may be right, or not. The point is that to most of you, even those who code, much of the neuroanatomy, physiology and physics will seem like bafflegab, no matter what I do to clarify it. I'll do my best. After all I've had 40 years of explaining Medicalese in people talk.

Thus, should those of you who venture down this page, not understand anything or even a little tid bit, please add your observations in the commentary.

In part 1 of this essay, there is mention of using near-infrared as the sensor by which to remotely "scan" if you will, brain activity. So we need a little background in this, which will be presented shortly.

Principle of knowledgeable, animate or computer, action:

Gathering information = sensing
Using information = effectuating that information for an intended goal.

At both points in this chain are invariably problems. For instance, regarding sensing, is the perception correct? Is the entire subject of interest perceived? Is the most efficacious manner (modality) of sensing being used? How does motion affect sensing? How do light or sound affect sensing?

Regarding effectuating the problems are somewhat similar regarding the targeting of the appropriate thing for action. As mentioned above, the target may be incompletely perceived or falsely perceived. Even if the target is correctly defined mishaps may occur. Inaccurate guidance of energy may be caused by motion, light, noise, absence of a stable platform from which to act.

Certain actions require no sensing, such as lightening or meteor strikes. But these require absolutely no knowledge of the target at all. The action just is, regardless of the discharge. Random, perhaps, perhaps not. Consider the Pleiades annual meteor shower which can be predicted years in advance. But which one of those whirling rocks is gonna come crashing where is not determined by those rocks.

Bacteria have sensing. Viruses have sensing. Politicians ostensibly have sensing. I know little about computer sensing, such as the web cam and microphone and keyboard (or even touch and possibly odor detection).

Sensing is vital for a sustainable species: virus, bacteria, monkeys. I did however come across something of interest recently concerning sensing in monkeys:

Okay, recess is over, back to work!

These two pictures are used to give you an idea why I concentrate so much on infrared sensing. After that we will study optics.

The very basics here:

Now a close up view:

Infrared

Learn about infrared.

Infrared radiation, or simply infrared or IR, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with longer wavelengths than those of visible light, and is therefore invisible, although it is sometimes loosely called infrared light. It extends from the nominal red edge of the visible spectrum at 700 nanometers (frequency 430 THz), to 1000000 nm (300 GHz)[1] (although people can see infrared up to at least 1050 nm in experiments[2][3][4][5]). Most of the thermal radiation emitted by objects near room temperature is infrared. Like all EMR, IR carries radiant energy, and behaves both like a wave and like its quantum particle, the photon.

Infrared radiation is used in industrial, scientific, and medical applications. Night-vision devices using active near-infrared illumination allow people or animals to be observed without the observer being detected. Infrared astronomy uses sensor-equipped telescopes to penetrate dusty regions of space such as molecular clouds, detect objects such as planets, and to view highly red-shifted objects from the early days of the universe.[8] Infrared thermal-imaging cameras are used to detect heat loss in insulated systems, to observe changing blood flow in the skin, and to detect overheating of electrical apparatuses.

Infrared: wavelength and frequency compared:

Infrared compared to light and other spectra:

Abbreviated list of infrared, etc. physics and usage:

This completes the infrared section but I haven't even touched on much which is clinically relevant. Clinical relevance, actual and potential, will be discussed in part 4.

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PriceRip's picture

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PriceRip's picture

@PriceRip

          One really nice demonstration we use to get across the idea of transmissivity is to hold your hand near an incandescent bulb. With your fingers spread out you can see red (id est near infrared) light passing through the "webbing" between your fingers. The blue part of the "white" light is not well transmitted. So you could say your deep tissue is bathed in red light and screened from the blue and very blue (id est ultraviolet) light.

          I find it fascinating that our bodies respond (as in senses (detects) and reacts) to this light with some very complicated biochemistry.

Please excuse my OCD kicking in:

Brain Hacking , Part 01

Brain Hacking , Part 02

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@PriceRip Thanks for info.

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All of it AE but I enjoy trying.

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Alligator Ed's picture

@pro left Questions are welcomed.

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But I am racing around this early morning, checking my blizzard defenses, and now eyeing my infrared space heaters with deep suspicion.

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Alligator Ed's picture

@GusBecause If I gave you all of this in one bite, you'd choke--you know the saying about how one eats an elephant.

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riverlover's picture

air-blankies. One hour pre-surgery and I had my RN daughter turn it down, sweating. Do not recall my OR, except those big illuminating lights are now LED (I asked, pre-general anesthesia). The concept of hearing drilling in my foot made me happy to be gone for that. Anyway, popped back out, home again same-day. Avoiding opiates so far. Foot pain has turned into ankle and leg pain. Snowing, so probably bed rest and reading all day. Definitely can't shovel my walkway.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Alligator Ed's picture

@riverlover if applied to too large a surface. Much of the body's heat loss occurs through the scalp and face. There are technical ways to over come this by lessening heat build-up exposing "pixels" of body surface for briefer periods of time via using a raster effect.

Hope you feel well soon. Avoid dancing this week.

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I think I am going to have to read this several times, and read your previous posts, before commenting anything meaningful, but I do find this discussion fascinating. Thank you.

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