I read some articles recently that got me thinking. the first was about a supercomputer that simulated the equivalent of half a mouse brain for ten seconds, then another larger experiment. it did not just simulate a neural network, but actually simulated the chemical/electrical reactions of the tissue in this network. They didnt produce any useful work, it was just an experiment to prove it could be done. "setting up the plumbing" was the expression used.
The second was some articles regarding connecting computer chips (one was a learning chip, another was a basic controller) into a cats brain, presumably with electrodes, not directly (although there are also experiments on direct slicon/neuron connections).
They used this to try to get one chip to learn from electrical behaviour in the brain when the cat walked etc. The other experiment managed to mimic nerve signals in the spine to make the cat walk (i doubt the cat was pleased).
So i got to thinking, say a chip was created that could be connected to the brain directly (silicon to neural connection) using a combination of developments in the above too areas of research. presumably an adult would be unable to use it usefully. But would a developing mind would be able to incorporate it into their developing neural network?
For sake of argument say it was a chip that was connected to the mobile phone network (Ha!), do you think a developing mind could learn to use it in the same way that it learns to use their feet or hands, or is their too much "hardwired" neural circuitry for it to adapt.
I am also interested to hear peoples views on the effects of the implementation of such chips, but this thread is primarily about the physical possibility of the brain being able to learn to use such a connection.