That's Using Your Head

broKenfoLd writes "In an earlier post, we looked at the future of Matrix-esque control over computers. In that article, monkeys got to play the games. Today at UW in Madison, WI, it's the humans who are playing video games just by thinking about it. While this is cool for us power gamers, it has many more impressive applications, including limb replacement."

Re:Sorry for Double Post

[NanoGator]

"Think about a computer with a virus and then attaching that directly to your brain. Scary."

Uh, why? It's not like a malicious app has caused my mouse to turn on me.

Telepathy

[lux55]

If they were able to figure out a sufficient amount of what a person's brain activity meant (which is exactly what they seem to be trying to do), and if they could hook that up to some sort of wireless transmitter (should be a piece of cake), it could be used for basic telepathic capabilities. Imagine hooking it up to an FM transmitter, even with just a 6' range - you could come through the radio of the car next to you. Dirty.

Seriously though, an implant that could do this would make telepathy somewhat of a reality. How cool is that?

Re:No!

[Eric Giguere]

I like to have something to blame

Don't underestimate human creativity. There will always be something you can blame:

• ... the beer you just drank
• ... you're getting old
• ... you haven't had enough sex
• ... you've had too much sex
• ... the wireless connection is too slow
• ... etc., etc.

When machines can come up with the same creative excuses, that's when we should worry.

Eric

About time for some substance, you marketeers!

[Lili Queen of Darkne]

This kind of subject has been talked about very much lately. I appreciate that, but i'm kind of disappointed at the way the subject is handled in general. Why not discuss technical issues? How are brain patterns read? EM signals surely, so how about talking about the probes that are used? And about the signals, surely there must be some interresting stuff to discuss about fuzzy recognition here... Guys, what can i say, we're supposed to be talking about our brains and the way they work, and all i find is some kids discussing 'applications' for something they're not really willing to understand. This is NOT the marketing dept!!! Where are old time nerds? Worse, i find some 'ethical' rethorist wrecking the fun... This is not litterature, this is science, may the heretics burn! Oh, before i go, i would like to insult people who think brain control applications are two-way systems. Terrorized geeks are worth nothing, the price for greater science is never too great! (please, repliers, dont discuss my mail, discuss the hardware)

Re:Ghost in the Shell, anyone?

[v1x]

While I more or less agree with most of what you've said, the fact remains that a lot of federal grant money is allocated for things like enhanced warfare.

Even if just *one* of the positive outcomes of such a technology means would lets say, let paraplegics walk or function normally, its probably worth it.

Re:Sorry for Double Post

[meganthom]

Neil Stephenson has. It's called Snow Crash.

Re:I don't mean to be a hypocrite...

[pseudochaotic]

Unless your eyes and ears operate independently from the rest of your head, they already market to your brain.

Re:I don't mean to be a hypocrite...

[lsdino]

I think you're absolutely correct about everything except for not being beneficial for normal folks.

Obviously using this for counter strike isn't going to be a great use of the technology. But what if the technology allowed you to type at 300 wpm ? That would be a productivity reason to use the technology, and if a business had an employee who could do that they'd be more profitable.

You could also imagine military applications. They could have a display that is mentally controlled - or it could even be used for weapons, just like a video game. And if the technology can be taken to the point where your brain is also reading data you could get rid of the display as well.

And finally I'm sure the porn industry will find some way to apply it - but probably the technology that doesn't require brain surgery :).

Between porn, business, and the military you touch a large portion of western society. And if there are enough reasons to justify the use of the technology and it's shown to be safe over the long term you could start to see it's profileration. That would lead to even more uses, and it'll probably grow just as the use of computers themselves have.

Personally I think it'd be fun to play around with the SDK kit - let alone actually using it for something practical.

The next step

[parcifal]

Well, the next step would be to eliminate the computer (used for processing the brain signals) and use an ASIC to perform the required signal processing. The ramifications of this, as the article notes are endless. Ethical questions do exist, but we will find a way to answer them (and I don't mean in a Stem-Cell kind of way...)

Re:Ghost in the Shell, anyone?

[RpiMatty]

Ummm, you seem very very paranoid about this remote control warfare. But what you fail to realize there is nothing to stop militaries from developing remote vechicals right now, that use traditional controls.
In fact i remember reading stories on slashdot about remote control development and training...

Re:Children of Zion Can't Jack In

[G-funk]

I don't wanna.... You know, wreck it or anything, but the matrix is make believe. It has no basis in science or reality, just 16yo pothead pseudophilosophy.

Re:I don't mean to be a hypocrite...

[G-funk]

Spoken like someone who's never grabbed a breast.

What's the point if you're using a mechanical hand?

Miraculously non-religious...

[copponex]

This is the reason I am upset with the direction of the US. In nearly any other developed country, science versus religion isn't even an argument anymore. It makes me ill when people talk about "playing God." Please, wake me when He shows up. For now, the only person who has done anything revolutionary (beyond personal support) for the crippled are scientists, doctors, and other people who work instead of pray.

Re:Mind Melds, Torture, and China

[Anonymous Coward]

The difference is that, with this mind communication, the torture leaves no physical scars and, hence, no physical evidence.

That's no difference. You really think it's impossible to torture somebody without leaving physical evidence today? To pick an example from the top of my head - what about sleep deprivation? No scars there.

By the way, child abuse and spousal abuse are rampant in Chinese society.

They are rampant in the USA too, but you really seem to dislike the Chinese, don't you? You're giving away your prejudices.

Re:Sorry for Double Post

[JumperCable]

How about:
-pop-up ads directly into the brain (I know, different technology)?
-A real Ping of Death
-McAfee Firewall for the brain

Re:I don't mean to be a hypocrite...

[khrtt]

You can also imagine that police officer shooting you, and saying that it has a mind of its own... In other words, anyway you twist it, you lose. Such is technology...

I/O

[halcyon1234]

Here's the thing that's always bugged me about the knee-jerk reaction to "brains controlling computers" thing: everyone assumes that the computers can control the brains.

Can a mouse control your hand? No. Can a racing petal control your foot? No. Can a computer programmed to interpret your brain waves control your brain? No. It's an INPUT device, not an output device.

Tell you what. The day that a hacker makes real with the "Your monitor is now a camera, look at the monkey" joke, then I'll worry about my brain-controlled computer uploading newdotnet into my head.

Oh, and on a side note, for those of you who are worried that you'll be beaten by CS opponents who are moving at the speed of thought, I ask you to concider just how fast the average CS d00d actually thinks.

Wrong. People can learn new things at any age.

[Generalisimo Zang]

I grew up (mostly) before there were personal computers available.

I didn't learn how to program in C until I was over 30 years old... yet, I can program a hell of a lot better than most of the kids who "grew up with computers".

The people who enjoy learning new things and who like a mental challenge will always have an advantage over most people (who don't like to learn anything that's either difficult or different from what they're used to).

If, or rather when, they invent computer-brain interfaces, I have no doubt that I'll pick it up quicker than someone who's got many decades less experience at.. um.. anything.

All the stories about people who can't learn new technology, and stories about "old" people whose digital clocks on their VCRs still blink "12:00"... those stories are basically about stupid people who don't like to learn.

Do you really think that some 10-year-old who was born into a world with computer-brain interfaces is gonna be able to *out-think* a forty or fifty-year-old?

Only if the forty-year-old is an idiot.