I wasn't talking about brain computer interfaces, although that is an interesting field. Note to self: try our algorithms on EEG data...

My point regarding the materialism was that if you can simulate the physical/chemical processes that happens in a brain, and I am talking about the molecular/quantum level, the result will be indistinguishable from the original.

The reference you asked for: project Blue Brain by IBM http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124751881557234725.html