Wired Brains: The Science of Over the Edge

Reeser Peland, like all starship captains in Over the Edge, wears a "kaldeskop" attached to his temples giving him a mental link into the workings and conditions aboard his ship. Through it he can remotely control the ship and communicate with his crew even while away planetside.

USA Weekend reported in the June 17-19, 2005, issue:

"Last year, the first human, a quadriplegic, was implanted with electrodes in his brain. A computer translates electrical signals in his gray matter, letting him operate a computer (play games, send e-mail) using only
thought."

In 2013 Meta and Google Glass revealed early versions of Reeser's kaldeskop.

Meta glasses strive to be an wearable, dual screen interface between the user, his environment and the computer world.


Google Glass looks more like a snazzy phone you wear on your head than Reeser's kaldeskop. CNet did a review of it, including a video, here. And here's a link to Google Glass' video.

In Over the Edge Reeser takes the kaldeskop a step further and uses commands he issues in his mind to robots and computers. He can record what he sees with his own eyes and hears with his ears, an accurate visual diary (probably more accurate than most of us would like) and uploads them to his space ship where the information is stored in his personal captain's log or elsewhere as he determines.

Anybody who wears glasses or contacts or uses a hearing aid is a cyborg already--using a cane or a wheelchair qualifies--but Meta and Google have taken us to a new level. Computers and humans are becoming increasingly integrated all the time. And Reeser's kaldeskop might be closer than I can imagine.