Galactic Sapper wrote:Loren Pechtel wrote:Once again, I must disagree--the nanites are not mapping the existing system. From what we saw with Honor's arm replacement the ability to accurately map neural control does not exist.
Also, the nanites can act in seconds. The assassination on Torch--they did it in two stages--one person infected another who actually did the deed.
Not exaactly. We saw that it was
easier to have the arm learn existing neural pathways rather than determine those pathways and then program them into the arm. Then again, Harrington's medical team weren't using self replicating nano tech to do it, either. The nano has days of constant interaction with the host to map out which nerves do what on a very fine scale, something a medical team not using banned tech simply cannot do.
Jonathan_S wrote: I was going to point out this learning period Honor had to go through.
Of course the result of this prolonged learning and retraining period Honor went through almost certainly resulted in a compromise consensus for how the new arm worked with the arm learning impulses but the brain also modifying impulses to alter how the arm worked. Our brains are designed to learn how to move, not to send out unaltered signals indefinitely until out limbs learn. So the signals going down Honor's nerves now almost certainly aren't quite what they were when she had her original arm.
(Though I guess the MAlign nano tech has the additional advantage that any mapping it might attempt is done while all the limbs are still there - so assuming it can measure both the signal and the resulting limb movement it could build up its map simply by watching current movements for a while. Someone replacing a lost limb doesn't have the luxury of mapping how the original used to work.)
Honor
did have to go through a learning period. So did the woman in the included video upstream, but that's because the signals are interacting with a completely different interface, an artificial limb. As opposed to nanites controlling natural limbs whose interface has not changed.
And Jonathan, it is incorrect that the brain doesn't simply continue to send out the same signals exhaustively. If you digest the video, it tells you it does. Just because a limb is amputated does not mean the brain discontinues sending the same signals. Per the video, it does not. Which, according to the evidence reported by amputees of experiencing ghost sensations, is intuitive.
Apparently the brain does not alter the old signals. The subject simply has to learn to reconnect and harness the signals, telephone wires if you will, that have already been laid down. Which is intuitive as well, or muscle memory would be shot all to hell.
Again, muscle memory is simply a sub process controlled automatically by the thought. A truth the monkey proves with aplomb.
Please consume the video upstream in it's entirety.