Exosomatic memory is the recording of
memories
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is Encoding (memory), encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future Action (philosophy), action. I ...
outside the brain. The earliest forms of
symbolic behavior—scratching marks on bones—seem to be intended as exosomatic memory. However it was the invention of
writing
Writing is the act of creating a persistent representation of language. A writing system includes a particular set of symbols called a ''script'', as well as the rules by which they encode a particular spoken language. Every written language ...
that allowed complex memories to be recorded.
A more narrow meaning of exosomatic memory is a computerized
information system
An information system (IS) is a formal, sociotechnical, organizational system designed to collect, process, Information Processing and Management, store, and information distribution, distribute information. From a sociotechnical perspective, info ...
that interfaces directly with the brain and functions as an extension of the user memory. Such systems have been used as plot devices in numerous
science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
stories, especially among the
cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting said to focus on a combination of "low-life and high tech". It features futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyberwa ...
genre. More recently, as scientific knowledge of neurology improves, some such as Gregory B. Newby
are suggesting that such a device may be possible.
See also
*
Brain–computer interface
A brain–computer interface (BCI), sometimes called a brain–machine interface (BMI), is a direct communication link between the brain's electrical activity and an external device, most commonly a computer or robotic limb. BCIs are often dire ...
References
{{Memory
Memory