What would you do if your electronics could read your mind? While it might sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, this tech is not only feasible, it's here. Facebook, MIT, and Neuralink, among others, are already working on refining and implementing devices that can pick up on and react to neural impulses. Only two questions remain: What is it good for, and what does it mean for the future of technology?
Mind reading technology has technically existed for a while; it isn't particularly difficult to pick up on brain wave signals. There have even been toys that purport to use brain waves in order to do things like use fans to propel lightweight balls into goals. That said, none of these devices were actually capable of interpreting those brainwaves. That's all changing.
With the aid of machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence, researchers have been able to tie certain neural patterns to actual output—words and images. Once algorithms are able to map out enough of this content, it would be relatively easy to read brain waves and match them to their intended meaning.
Portable electromyography devices are another interesting avenue. Electromyography refers to the process of evaluating the electrical signals produced by muscles and is usually used in a medical context. With tech like Facebook's new wrist-mounted device, it's possible to read and interpret neural signals sent from the brain to the hands. At that point, the device can relay what motions the user is making, and turn those into actions in an augmented or virtual reality context.
In 2018, MIT researchers developed a face-mounted device that serves as a kind of silent speech-to-text converter. Electrodes on the face read signals sent from the brain to the facial muscles, and a machine learning algorithm translates these into text. After about 15 minutes of customization and training for each subject, the scientists were able to achieve 92% accuracy with their translations.
Elon Musk's Neuralink, a startup working on a “brain-machine interface,” has created an implantable device that allows the user to work cooperatively with machine intelligence. The implant uses very tiny filaments that can infiltrate the brain in order to detect neural activity, as well as a surgical robot to implant those filaments.
Microsoft is also a patent holder for technology that can change the state of a computer or electronic device based on neural signals. The uses for this tech could run the gamut from moving a mouse cursor with thought alone, to automatically altering things like volume and brightness based on whether the user's brainwaves express irritation.
Facebook's new wrist-mounted device mentioned above is one of the latest mind-reading devices. This tech is partially to support the development of their smart glasses, a collaboration with Luxottica. Smart glasses don't have an input mechanism, and physical controllers aren't feasible for portable, hands-free technology. That's where this new wrist-mounted electromyography band comes in.
Right now, mind-reading tech is still in the developmental stage. Some companies, like Facebook, are working on using it to streamline portable or hands-free technology. Other research has delved into ways that interpreting neural signals could be used to help the disabled community. Scientists at the University of California, for example, developed a way to read and interpret signals in the brain's auditory context. This could theoretically be applied to the visual cortex, which could provide another way for people with specific types of blindness to navigate the world.
One study by the University of Toronto used electroencephalogram readouts from study participants in order to re-create the faces of people that they'd seen. This is a precursor to allowing forensics experts to piece together evidence from the memories of eyewitnesses, improving their accuracy.
While Neuralink's primary focus is keeping human intelligence from being surpassed by artificial intelligence, it has doctors excited for its medical potential. The filaments are so tiny and potentially unobtrusive, they could theoretically replace current medical devices used to stimulate areas of the brain in patients with Parkinson's disease.
In the near future, the majority of applications for mind-reading tech will likely be medical. Neurological disorders are among the most devastating and difficult to treat, and doctors have been looking for ways to “read” the brain for decades. these technological advancements won't just allow them to interpret brain signals and turn them into text, it could revolutionize the way doctors treat everything from seizures to hearing impairment.
In terms of commercial use, mind-reading tech is most likely going to help make existing tech faster, more accurate, and smoother. Without a physical interface, devices would be more intuitive and easier to learn for older or inexperienced users.
While the phrase “mind-reading technology” conjures up images of robot armies and glowing laser interfaces, the reality is much simpler. These devices interpret neural signals—either from the brain itself or as it sends them to muscles in the hand or face—and match them with the desired output. This tech is growing by leaps and bounds but isn't yet ready to hit the market. When it does, it's very likely to produce immeasurable increases in quality of life for people with disabilities.
