In The Future Will We Be Able To Download Complex Skills To Our Brain?
This would be possible through something called visual perceptual learning which recent experiments conducted at Boston University suggest may be a sufficient learning approach. Imagine staring at a computer screen until your brain patterns begin to match those of high performers of specific skills, such as playing an instrument or sport. In a sense, this would be like hypnosis or a sort of automated learning where one does not even have to be conscious of the skill they are attaining.
Some people are comparing this to what happens to Neo in the movie The Matrix. The idea of not having to put time and effort into learning a new skill is certainly appealing for many reasons but also a bit scary to some. When it comes to automated learning there are concerns that this could be done in an unethical way. Of course, it could also be extremely helpful, for example, there is the potential it could help people recuperate from a brain injury or illness.
More testing and research will certainly be completed regarding this fascinating discovery. You can see the full Boston University study titled, "Perceptual Learning Incepted by Decoded fMRI Neurofeedback Without Stimulus Presentation," in the journal Science.
