Fancy brain scans can detect when the mind wanders

What were we talking about again? Oh, that's right. Brains. Wonderful, delicious... brains. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that researchers can track grey matter for the patterns that precede careless errors. Apparently there's a detectable activity shift when your brain switches to auto pilot -- which can happen as much as half a minute before you screw up. The hope behind the research is to be able to track brain activity and alert users who are headed off the tracks. The technology could reduce work slip-ups, improve driving, or at least help you know when to take a nap or switch activities to keep engaged. But seriously, what were we just talking about?

[STNC @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:41AM]

I wonder what my brain looks like

[james @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:45AM]

This could be usefull in better understanding ADD.

[compuguy1088 @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:26PM]

The Amen Clinic does something similar to what you said....though it may or may not help with any issues...

[Jonathan Worrel @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:56PM]

The ever-changing productive society we live in...


...If only we knew the consequences of logic rather than reason.

[Michael Reilly @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:45AM]

Zzzzzztt!

[nikola @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:51AM]

"reduce work slip-ups"?

Really? This would only be useful in high-risk environments, otherwise its beyond invasive. Why don't they just make a rubber band they can tie around your colon so they can control bathroom breaks too.

Corporate slavery anyone?

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:55AM]

Elongated colon FTW.

[Lucius @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:18PM]

I hardly doubt you would have major corporations sitting around with all of their coworkers hooked up to brain scanners so that they can detect people who are starting to zone out. Even if this did occur, the scanners would tell the emplyers that that employee needs a break. Then perhaps employees would be more efficient when they get back and maybe the employer could save money or at the very least have a more accident free day.

or what you said... your story is much more fun. (fun as in interesting not fun as in jumping w/ joy)

[nathan.wong @ Apr 22nd 2008 11:54AM]

OMG, people will know my mind wanders 24/7!

[tom @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:55PM]

"I am feeling perverted"

hahahahaha

[NHAnimator @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:10PM]

I seriously don't see the need for this sort of research. It's not like the average person, I mean, who doesn't like pepperoni on their pizza? As long as it's sliced thin enough, you should see how much weight she's lost. I remember her back in high school when none of these presidential candidates are worth voting for.

[John @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:16PM]

I'm observing what you're attempting to accomplish here...

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:26PM]

I think its safe to say that NHAnimator is officially off his rocker..

[rutsy5 @ Apr 22nd 2008 9:08PM]

I see what you do there

[kal326 @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:22PM]

Great all those years of perfecting the art of looking busy could become worthless. Now the boss could just scan my brain and know I'm really just staring off into space. Thanks a lot science.....

[FGL82 @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:36PM]

It could include a little electroshock (ok, not so little) to punish you for not paying attention!

Work slaves! Work!!!

Mwahahahaha!!!

[Valgas @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:38PM]

Lol. .... Huh? Oh. Yeah this is cool. What is it?

[granny down east @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:48PM]

WAY COOL! I need this in the cockpit of my airplane.

[DarCowAlways @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:59PM]

That's actually a great idea!

[Dorothy Sourlis @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:00PM]

In the wrong hands.......................oh yeah..in the wrong hands this could be....um....uh....yeah.....dangerous.

[smk @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:20PM]

In "d", there's activity that appears beyond the brain... oh noes!

[rutsy5 @ Apr 22nd 2008 9:10PM]

don't worry. thats what we like to call "thinking outside the box"

[Munkcy @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:35PM]

I can just see in now. In the future everyone has one of these scanners on their head and the scanners send real-time updates to their boss's PC.

The boss is sitting in his office when there sounds a deep booming voice from his computer (think the voice of the robot from Lost in Space):

Voice: Employee Pat Smith is daydreaming...
Boss: Better get Pat some more work to do.
Voice: Employee Bill Johnson is pretending to work...
Boss: Better give ol' Bill a warning.
Voice: Employee John Jones is fantasizing about employee Samantha Miller...
Boss: ...better move John's desk to the basement.

[fincan @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:54PM]

now this would be really cool for ADD peope (like me) because.. oh look, a shiny thing!

[Terpy @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:03PM]

Does mind wandering include reading Engadget when some person other than myself is supposed to be working. If so I, oops, I mean someone else could be in trouble.

[R1cebrner @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:12PM]

I hope this doesn't turn into some sort of efficency monitor at work. Oh well the supervisors are too busy as it is to monitor the stats now one more probably won't matter

[compnerd @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:50PM]

I suspect the machine would suffer a nervous breakdown trying to keep up with my brain's constant wandering....

[Shinigami @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:40PM]

Why make robots that make sure people keep working instead of making robots that just keep working for people?

[John Stracke @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:00PM]

Come the robot rebellion, the robots will hack into these things, so they can attack when their prey is distracted.

[Nazul @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:21PM]

It's not me, it's those nanobots in my head.

[dsvo @ Apr 22nd 2008 8:09PM]

I'm a motorcyclist, and I commute to work every day in southern California. Yes, I'm crazier than NHAnimator, just not so entertaining. Anyway, one of the things about riding a motorcycle is that you're nearly always "on", that is, you are constantly scanning, adjusting, evaluating, moving, and repeat. Not like a car, where you're just zoned out, on "autopilot", most of the time. When riding, it's pretty obvious who's zoned and who's on, among the cages around me. Not many people drive while mentally present.

When I do zone out on my bike, I scold myself, as it's not safe to do that. I would really love to have a little beep that would remind me to get back on the subject.

[Ryan @ Apr 23rd 2008 7:26AM]

The use of brain wave information to track when the brain shifts into "auto-pilot" is nothing new. This is a method that has been used for years as an alternative to ritalin (and similar drugs) for ADD patients.

[Nelson @ Apr 23rd 2008 11:10PM]

I hope they can get this out in the market fast enough, my wife is about to divorce my ass!