The Brain Computer Interface

We're still  in the extremely early days of neural computing interfaces, but make no mistake about it, when it comes to directly connecting our brains to our hardware, we're ready and rearin' when the gear is. And lucky us, apparently at least one such system will be shown this week at CeBIT developed by none other than Fraunhofer: the aptly and succinctly dubbed Brain Computer Interface (we'd prefer something a little snappier, say, like the Computer Brain Interface, but whatevs). The system reads brain-waves from 128 scalp electrodes -- very slowly, mind you -- and apparently over the last couple of years they've already honed the device to control a pointer and enable trained users to actually write a sentence with their mind alone (even though it may take between five and ten minutes to do so).

[Via Popgadget]

[Morgon @ Mar 8th 2006 10:20AM]

That's quite a stylish headdress. Kinda "Modern-Punk meets Cyber-Punk".

[cuby @ Mar 8th 2006 10:25AM]

(we'd prefer something a little snappier, say, like the Computer Brain Interface, but whatevs).

every now and then engadget will make you laugh, that's their charm i suppose.

now the real question is, will i have to set up sensors around the monitor and periodically re-center the device a la power glove?

[skoobydoo @ Mar 8th 2006 10:41AM]

That looks like it was designed by Microsoft alright...

^_^

[Nick Wade @ Mar 8th 2006 10:42AM]

#2 - presumably you reset the cursor with a neutral thought like *making toast* or *listening to Norah Joans*

[David Troyer @ Mar 8th 2006 11:41AM]

Does the sweater come with it? I sure hope so.

[Mike @ Mar 8th 2006 12:03PM]

Sweet, but I'll only buy one if it comes in iPod white.

[Mandarin @ Mar 8th 2006 12:03PM]

HEy! HE's having cybersex !

[Mobin @ Mar 8th 2006 12:18PM]

Great untill someone hacks your computer and starts reading your mind.

[Rusty Shackleford @ Mar 8th 2006 12:28PM]

The Government is already using these devices overseas for detainee interrogation. It takes a very long time for you to type out a confession using your mind, and that's just part of the torture now isn't it?

[Tony @ Mar 8th 2006 12:35PM]

ugly sweater not included

[Matt @ Mar 8th 2006 12:56PM]

"trained users to actually write a sentence with their mind alone (even though it may take between five and ten minutes to do so)"

It takes a *TRAINED* person to write ONE sentace in FIVE TO TEN minutes? I bet that entire article was written in less time.

[AlexT @ Mar 2nd 2007 3:43AM]

Matt, you don't see the REAL break thru here.. The issues you raised are just insignificant data of the problem. Data that eventually(by progress and accuracy) will get better in time. This is just an optimization problem. What actually does matter is the fact that HUMAN kind DEVELOPED a DEVICE that CAN READ THOUGHTS and that is evolution.

[Eli Bixby @ Mar 8th 2006 1:03PM]

this kinda brings up any sci fi readers nightmares, just thinking of a world where everyone augments their minds with computers makes me wet my pants

[Pete M @ Mar 8th 2006 1:08PM]

"just thinking of a world where everyone augments their minds with computers makes me wet my pants"

with excitement or fear?!

excitement for me!

[A Munro @ Mar 8th 2006 1:27PM]

Imagine what it could do with 129 scalp electrodes!! Hunh?!! Firefox, here we come....

[D Cheney @ Mar 8th 2006 1:32PM]

Apparently the White House is first in line to purchase one. They believe it will take days off the time it takes for Bush to compose his Presidential address.

[Bush's Speech Writer @ Mar 8th 2006 1:55PM]

They can't put that thing on Bush ... it requires a human with a *brain* to interface with it ....

[Joe @ Mar 8th 2006 2:17PM]

That would have been humorous if presidents wrote their speeches. Maybe we should put this thing on #14's head.

[muuuu @ Mar 8th 2006 2:32PM]

This is the beginning of the Matrix, along with Kevin Warwick

[The Steven @ Mar 8th 2006 2:35PM]

Dr. Hawkin says he'll take two!

[emceay @ Mar 8th 2006 2:43PM]

I wonder how these things will work with a lil' cubensis in you.

[Alex @ Mar 8th 2006 3:18PM]

>It takes a *TRAINED* person to write ONE sentace in
>FIVE TO TEN minutes?

Yeah, but if that person is paralyzed, the ability to write a sentence at any speed is really important. Also, improved word prediction algorithms based on context may be able to speed up that time for them in the future, in addition to better hardware.

[Andrew @ Mar 8th 2006 3:23PM]

umm.. BORG?

[adollarfifty @ Mar 8th 2006 3:31PM]

Proto-Borg.

[ianerific @ Mar 8th 2006 3:48PM]

The implications of this for Quadraplegics and other people with physical handicaps is amazing. I know they have been working on this for years, I did some research in college on the subject... facinating stuff.

[Paul @ Mar 8th 2006 4:05PM]

Why is it that whenever we see these sort of articles it's as if it's a new thing? The technology has been around for years now without much apparent progress. If they really want to get funding for this technology, make it into a game! And then the disabled people will get the benefit of better technology and a wide array of games to keep them occupied! :)

[Cybert @ Mar 8th 2006 4:46PM]

#21, why must these always be framed in terms of the disabled? I think we're all disabled as long as we remain a mess brought about by evolution. The future is the merger of brains and machine.

[Pancake @ Mar 8th 2006 5:45PM]

1.21 Gigawatts! Hold still Marty, let me read your mind....

[Anne Droid @ Mar 8th 2006 6:48PM]

Do you think they'll make one in yellow that will go with my Lieutenant Data outfit?

[Avinash @ Mar 8th 2006 9:10PM]

I really believe this is the wave of the future for computer interaction. When you think about how archaic the keyboard and mouse are for working with a computer; having direct access through the brain opens up amazing frontiers. Imagine composing music by "hearing" the song in your head. Or making an animated movie by recording what goes on in your minds eye. Those may seems far fetched, but even writing a novel by thinking the words will increase productivity and creativity.

[Mochi @ Mar 9th 2006 1:21AM]

#28, about that, that makes me think, what would happen if your mind's eye could realisticly recreate a fake murder video? or any other thing, the whole thing about evidence would be destroyed, imagine a world where you cant even trust videos or audio recordings, O_o for evidence

[sarha @ Mar 9th 2006 6:01AM]

Drat! What was the name of the book where this was real. author Clifford D.Simak ?

[Sean @ Mar 9th 2006 6:49PM]

For those of you interested in this area, there have been other teams that have developed Brain Computer interfaces in the past. Rob Burke wrote a great blog entry on the ressurection of the Media Lab Europe Brain Computer Interface last year.

http://blogs.msdn.com/robburke/archive/2005/10/23/484009.aspx

There were also some photos of it in action at http://blogs.msdn.com/robburke/archive/2005/12/01/499152.aspx

Check out the mawg walking the tightrope!

[Ehren @ Mar 9th 2006 10:08PM]

If you are going to hold it responsible for limiting people to typing a sentence in 5-10 minuts, you have to hold yourself responsible for lack of imagination.

The previous sentence has 28 words, in 10 minutes, that is just over 20 seconds a word, given that they are controlling a mouse, at the average of just under 5 letters per word, that is 4 seconds per click.

Now imagine you broke your neck, can't move and would love a way to interact with the world. I give you one of these caps and a computer screen with some basic menus that allow you to control several key aspects of your life: the lights, the tv & the phone. If it took you 4 seconds to turn on a light you are moving MUCH faster than anyone who has to walk to the light switch. If you can make a phone call without the help of others, do you think you really need email?

[zoara @ Mar 10th 2006 6:19AM]

The sentence might be "I am".

Anyway, I think the speed thing is because this is a technology in its infancy. When they start drilling into peoples heads or something, it will probably get quicker.

[ePants @ Mar 17th 2006 4:54PM]

"#28, about that, that makes me think, what would happen if your mind's eye could realisticly recreate a fake murder video? or any other thing, the whole thing about evidence would be destroyed, imagine a world where you cant even trust videos or audio recordings, O_o for evidence"

-that will likely never become an issue. Most people can't control their toughts for more than a few seconds at a time before they get get distracted. The amount of concentration required to created a feasibly realistic looking video even a few seconds long would take nothing short of genius to produce. (Unless you're talking about an animated, cartoon murder video) ;-)

[Amit @ Mar 30th 2006 6:36AM]

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in collecting more information on the above topic.... a few more pictures ....and a bit more textual information,and URL's of the related websites.Please do reply to my email addr [e-mail]

[Zalmaki @ Jun 10th 2006 6:14PM]

This is such fantastic news, for the disabled especially, and eventually I hope for all of us. I'm on the edge of my seat.


Also:

"imagine a world where you cant even trust videos or audio recordings, O_o for evidence"

Welcome to 2006. This is the Photoshop era. A bunch of amateurs can produce photorealistic results with readily available tools -- the better stuff on worth1000.com is only the tip of the iceberg. I think BCIs are the least of our photomanipulation worries.

[radu @ Jun 16th 2007 10:31AM]

This is one of the latest inventions that are going to create the wonder technologies of the future and also discover so many things about the human brain. Imagine a world where computers can stand side by side the human brain... right now they are there but at a very abstract level of logics. The speed of this invention right now is a problem which comes from both the technology and the human brain. Adapt the brain to the technology or adapt the technology to the brain... or find a midle way. Exactly like people learn to write and read with some amount of effort, the same could be done to learn how to handle this interface more acurately. This would also develop a much more ordered mind, making it think more clearly. That would realy be a big step in human evolution. When it will be more clear how the human brain works than you can adapt the interface much better. I am certain that you can get to a point where the speed of manifesting your thoughts through the interface will create the illusion of "instant". Afterall there is a fizical phenomenon for each thought and some can be detected with the usual EEG. But how about 128 electrods or 256 or 1024? The eeg technology doesn't analyze each neuron of the brain, but only areas of neurons in the brain.

What would be the result if you combine this with a 3d google? What kind of virtual reality would that be? My oppinion is that you can get the brain to a point where it can't tell if what it senses is reality or not (as long as it is not trying to move the body... though it is fizically posible to simulate a false sense in the brain).