Mindblowing: Advances in brain technology spur push for 'neuro-rights'

Chile is aiming to legally protect their citizens' 'neuro rights' by passing a constitutional reform that blocks any technology that aims to 'increase, diminish or disturb' people's brain without consent. Experts are worried about bionic implants or any algorithm that could potentionally threaten the essence of human autonomy and free will.

Many movies and novels have explored a future with neurotechnology, and how quickly it could go awry. While movies always show these scenarios in visions of grandeur, recent developments in the field have shown how they could positively help the world, especially when it comes to learning what causes conditions like Alzheimer's or epilepsy.

But with many worried about the dark side of this tech, Chile's President has asked all Ibero-American countries to legislate together on this matter. The bill that will be introduced in Chile for consideration aims to guard the human mind, set some limits to neuro-technology, allowing for equitable distribution of the technology and putting limits on neuro-algorithm.

Some of this technology already exists, and could be available in the next 10 years. The problem that many see is that without proper safeguards, this technology could be used to 'alter people's thoughts or re-program their wiring to dictate their patterns of consumption'. When considering dyspotian science-fiction, neuro-technology could be scary, but for every bad scenario imaginable, there are 10 beneficial ones, say experts. Breakthroughs in this field could help in alleviating symptoms of Parkinson's or restore sight to the blind.