It has been suggested that robots might be able to transplant a human head onto another person's body within the next decade. This development could have implications for extending human life.
The neuroscience and biomedical engineering startup BrainBridge announced its plan to develop a new technology using artificial intelligence and robots to perform high-speed transplants. Speed is crucial in projects aiming for brain transplants to prevent tissue degradation.
BrainBridge's method involves robots controlled by AI algorithms to remove a donor's head and attach it to another body while preserving memories and cognitive abilities.
The robots will connect the spinal cord, nerves, and blood vessels, and polyethylene glycol will be used to reattach severed neurons. Although some research indicates that this substance can aid in treating peripheral nerve damage, its effectiveness in a comprehensive procedure like a head transplant remains uncertain.
The plan is to use the bodies of young, healthy individuals who have suffered brain death and attach them to the heads of people suffering from cancer or paralysis, offering these patients a new lease on life.
Molecular biologist Hashem Al-Ghaili, who is behind the project, spoke about the technology that aims to achieve a "complete head and face transplant":
"This state-of-the-art system offers new hope to patients suffering from untreatable conditions such as stage 4 cancer, paralysis, or neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's."
Al-Ghaili first mentioned this project last October, stating that there was an 8-year roadmap ahead. BrainBridge emphasizes that they are currently in the concept stage.
The company also claims that these brains could last "several centuries." If this is possible, head transplants onto young bodies could open a new door for extending human life.
Efforts in the scientific community regarding brain and head transplants are not new. In 2017, neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero made headlines by claiming he had performed a brain transplant between two cadavers. Last year, Canavero also suggested that it was now possible to perform brain transplants between living humans.
However, there are some concerns regarding the transplantation of a complex organ like the brain. While BrainBridge claims that patients undergoing head transplants will retain their consciousness, there are many questions that need to be answered regarding consciousness. The same goes for memories, and it is too early to say whether a patient undergoing such a transplant will wake up as planned.
