Brain Waves Module 3: Neuroscience, conflict, and security

SPIE Proceedings, 2011

Communication of intent usually requires motor function, which can be limiting during military missions. Determining a soldier's intent from brain signals rather than using muscles would have numerous applications for tactical combat. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) translate brain signals into machine readable form and could optimize a soldier's interaction with the surrounding environment. However, current BCI devices have largely remained laboratory curiosities, because current techniques either require extended training or do not have the requisite signal fidelity, because they are highly invasive and thus not safe or practical for use in humans, or because they rely on equipment (such as magnetic resonance imaging scanners) that do not allow for real-time applications and/or field deployment. The objective of our research program is to create a prototype of a system for communication and monitoring of orientation that uses brain signals to provide, in real time, an accurate assessment of the users intentional focus and imagined speech. We expect that our efforts will provide a prototype of the first intuitive brain-based communication and orientation system for human use.

… Cognition. Directing the Future of Adaptive …, 2011

This paper provides a summary of the presentations presented in the Operational Neuroscience session during Augmented Cognition International 2011 at Human Computer Interaction International 2011 in Orlando, Florida, July, 2011.

This paper is devoted to investigate some of the most pressing ethical issues that may arise from the application of neuroscience advances devoted to detect deception or hidden intentions by humans in security settings, especially counter-terrorism. The first section of the paper presents a general overview of the field of terrorism psychology and introduces recent claims about the possibility for neuroscience to read a terrorist's brain. The second section describes five neuroscience-based experiments in which investigators claim to be able, in various ways, to 'detect' lying or the 'hidden intentions' of humans. The final part of the article deals with the ethical implications of these and similar prospective advances in neuroscience.

The Journal of Military History, 2008

Recent studies in neuroscience have demonstrated the potential for brain connections to change, in order to adapt to certain conditions and to balance neurons loss. Through training, this can occur to such a large extent that one's personal and socio-cultural boundaries can be extended. This can consequently be used for good and bad purposes. For example, mindful training can be implemented through meditation to manage stress, thus reducing unhealthy circuits in the brain such as the HPA axis response. However, neuropsychological training can also be applied to ease individuals into controversial tasks, such as killing. This type of use of neuroscientific knowledge for national security and warfare raises several ethical concerns. This article discusses how brain plasticity can be used to modify the emotional response of soldiers within war contexts through a process of dehumanisation of the enemy and how this in turn creates further neuropsychological damage in veterans in a post war context. Finally, the possibility of reversing this process and its utility in post-conflict resolution is explored, opening up to further studies on the topic.

Advances in Neurotechnology: Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues, 2014

Neuroscience is enabling us to explore emerging ideas that question whether the way in which our minds have been physically and hormonally shaped by evolution have left us with some legacies of which many of us are unaware, but which appear to help or hinder our peace building work. This paper looks at the current state of much of the research in this field, which, although tentative, may be useful for those of us involved in managing and mitigating conflict and violence around the world.

Synesis a Journal of Science Technology Ethics and Policy, 2011

Advances in neuroscience and neurotechnology have necessitated discussions on the ways that such developments could be used as weapons in contexts of national security, intelligence, and defense. This paper defi nes the concept of neuroweapons, and elucidates operational issues associated with their use to aid informational and strategic intelligence, such as brain-machine interfaces to improve effi ciency in data analysis. As well, exploration of neuropharmacologic, neuromicrobiological, and neurotoxic agents are discussed relevant to their utility in combat scenarios. The limitations of emerging neurotechnologies as weapons are addressed, as both regards practical and operational frameworks, and implications relevant to formulation of ethico-legal guidelines and governance of research, development and potential use.

Translational Neuroscience, 2012

Professional military training makes tough demands on soldiers' perceptual and motor skills, as well as on their physical fitness and cognitive capabilities in the course of preparation for stressful operational environments. In this pilot study we attempted to identify difference in pattern of neural responses between extensively trained, professional mission-ready soldiers and novice soldiers during audiovisual simulation of mission conditions. We performed fMRI scanning on a few volunteers during presentation of semantically relevant video-clips of real combat from Afghanistan to evaluate influence of military training on mental responses of soldiers. We showed that for professional mission-ready soldiers a week before their deployment to Afghanistan, videoclips with deadly ambush combat induce greater overall brain activation compared to novice soldiers. Missionready soldiers showed greater activation in premotor/prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and posterior temporal cortex. These results imply that fMRI technique could be used as challenging step forward in the multidimensional evaluation of military training influence on neural responses and operational capabilities of professional soldiers. This is extremely important not only for potential failure prevention and mere success of the mission, but even more for the survival and the well-being of the servicemen and servicewomen.