Trials for memory-related brain implants may begin within two years, providing hope for those who’ve suffered severe trauma or a stroke. In the longer-term, enhancement for those with no debilitation will be an issue. From Michael Stat at Future Leap:

“A team of neuroscientists from the University of Southern California (USC), Wake Forest University (WFU), the University of Kentucky and DARPA have developed a memory implant technique that could help restore memories lost by stroke and localized brain injury.

The first step in restoring memories is to record, in undamaged tissue, the unique activity patterns associated with the formation of particular memories.  Step two is to use these patterns to predict what the ‘downstream’ damaged areas should be doing.  Step three is to replicate the desired activity in healthy areas by stimulating brain cells with electrodes.

The research is focused on the hippocampus, where short-term memories are solidified into long-term ones by the movement of electrical signals through neurons.  Professor of biomedical engineering Theodore Berger of USC has used mathematical models to program electrodes to mimic these movements.

‘I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime,’ Berger said to CNN. ‘I might not benefit from it myself but my kids will.'”