How the Brain Works The Facts Visually Explained by DK (z-lib.org)

THE BRAIN OF THE FUTURE

Superhuman Senses 182 183

Touch area of

brain receives

signals from

artificial skin

Cochlear implant

Many designs of cochlear implant bypass damaged

parts of the outer and middle ear and the sensory cells

of the inner ear’s cochlea. They work by supplying tiny

electrical signals directly to cochlear nerve fibers.

Signals from transmitter

pass wirelessly to receiver

inside skull

Camera signals

travel to VPU

Auditory area

of brain receives

signals from

cochlear implant

Electrodes directly

stimulate cochlear

nerve fibers

WIRE

EAR CANAL

Microphone

converts

sound waves

to electrical

signals

TRANSMITTER

RECEIVER

COCHLEAR

NERVE

Signals from receiver

travel along wire to

cochlea

SO

M

A

TO

SE

N

SO

RY

V

IS

U

A

L

C

O

R

T

EX

C

O

R

TE

X

ELECTROSNIFFERS

DETECT SCENTS WITH

AROUND 97 PERCENT

ACCURACY

Implant sends data to brain

The retinal array is an electronic

grid that sends signals to the deeper

layers of cells in the retina, bypassing

its faulty light-detecting cells. These

deeper cells create nerve impulses

that travel to the visual cortex.

4

Evolving forms of artificial skin contain graphene sheets with domed

electronic sensors. Physical changes such as temperature and pressure

stretch or squash these sensors to generate electrical signals that are

then transmitted to the somatosensory cortex in the brain.

ARTIFICIAL SKIN

FINGERTIP SKIN ELECTRONIC SKIN

Moving

electrical

charge

Microsensors

in lower

layer detect

pressure and

temperature

Microsensors

in upper

layer detect

light touch

and pain

Dead

epidermis

Graphene

sheet with

domed

sensors

Protective

high-grip

surface

Moving

electrical

charge

Signals travel

along wires from

body-worn VPU

CO

CH

LE

A

US_182-183_Supersenses.indd 183 20/09/2019 12:38