How to make communication between members of the collective mind?

Question

According to the plot of my anatomical guide, superhumans created by me are sometimes able to unite into a single collective mind, while becoming a single superintelligent entity.

The swarms of these superhumans would probably take an example from Christa and Tatiana Hogan, twins who have fused skulls, whose brains are connected in the thalamus. Among its other responsibilities, the thalamus acts as a sensory repeater: twins share the same set of sensory inputs. Each sees through the eyes of the other. If you tickle one, the other will laugh. Anecdotal evidence suggests that they can exchange thoughts, and although each has its own personality, each uses the pronoun "I" when referring to the second twin.

And all this comes from the fusion only in the sensor repeater. What would happen if Christa and Tatiana were even more connected? Thought does not know how to stop it, and turns when it reaches the corpus callosum. Then why would she behave differently if she met a different kind of corpus callosum, why two minds connected by a thicker pipe should behave differently? like halves of your own brain?

Thus, with a sufficiently high bandwidth, a single integrated consciousness will be obtained, distributed over any number of platforms. Technically, the connections themselves can use the so-called "epaptic coupling" (in which there is no direct synaptic stimulation, and neurons are fired due to distributed electric fields that are generated in other areas of the brain). Synchronicity is vital here: united consciousness exists only when all its parts are triggered together with a signal transmission delay of a maximum of a couple of hundred milliseconds. Narrowing that tube down can even preserve individuality while still gaining access to memories and sensory information from other nodes (personalities).

Here we come to the heart of my question: how do I make communication between several brains?

After all, most of the time, these superhumans, who look about the same as ordinary people, are not part of the collective mind, and as a consequence, they are not connected by their skulls like Siamese twins, but are different people.

Alternatively, it would be possible to use special "braids" as shown among the Na'vi people in George Cameron's film "Avatar", but in more everyday life (outside the swarm) this organ could be easily damaged and could interfere.

Note: communication between swarm representatives must be biological, that is, no implants or electronics.

Answer 1

Use a Collective Body

There is no natural way for a single mind to be spread across multiple bodies, and so you'll need to make some sort of way for these superhumans to combine their bodies into one. Doing this with just their own flesh would be impractical/impossible, and so they'll nee some other sort of support structure, such as:

Bryorex omnimens

B. omnimens is a genetically engineered bryozoonoid. They are colonial like usual bryozoa, but through genetic manipulation each zooid is massive. It has the usual autozooids at its base, sucking up its food for the rest of the colony

However, it also bears long branches of titanic kenozooids, large enough that a human might fit inside. While these colonies would normally spend their life happily sitting around and being fed, when the superhumans must come together they open up their kenozooids, which the superhumans pile into

Then the collective mind forms; the kenozooids' ganglia extend into a passage in the superhuman's braincase, and through this the bryozoon, and all the humans within, form a single mind

There will be some flaws though; While nearby superhumans might be able to fully connect, there is no way for anything but the weakest connection across long stretches of the branch, and if there are multiple branches they will be near fully disconnected. A brain just can't be that big

Answer 2

Increased production of the noggin protein.

Your skull is made of several plates of bones. These plates can slide over each other, allowing the head to collapse during birth and fit out of the vagina.

In these superhumans alterations to the noggin protein which inhibits this bone growth means that the skull plates never truly fuse. Some other alterations allow them to open up their skull, swinging it like a door to open up the brain to easy access.

Whilst young, this area is held together by a thin layer of tissue that protects the brain from exposure. When older, and when the body's superhuman immune system and durability is high enough to endure diseases, this tissue can be forcibly torn open, exposing the brain to the air. This is seen as the coming of age of superhumans, and is ideally done with family, but is often done earlier by eager teenagers looking for some fun.

A long tube is coiled up over the brain.

Held in a safe place is a long tube which can connect brains. This tube is connected to a host of key areas by nerves, and can be easily bonded with others, to form a hive mind.

It is normally hidden in the skull, and after use, a few hours of rest allows the head to repair the gap and hold the skull together with a sphincter of smooth muscles which can close and open at will. This is hidden under the hair, although a careful inspection can find it.