Mind-reading via a device might become a reality

Mind-reading via a device might become a reality

For years, the scientists had been working to make a device that could be helpful in reading the thoughts of a human being. After immense hard work, the research has paved a way for brain
implants that can translate people’s thoughts. The scientists were able to develop a device to read the thoughts of people with lost power of speech.

In order to read their mind, the scientists picked up some fragments of their thoughts after decoding their brain activity as they hear words. Due to this remarkable feat, the researchers
were able to study thoroughly how the brain processes language and raises the tormenting prospect of devices to return speech to the speechless.

The developed device will be helpful to prove the way for brain implants to monitor the thoughts of a person, translate and speak the sentences as they imagine them. The mind reading devices
would be quite helpful changing the lives of those who have lost the meaning and purpose of their life as they will be able to speak and express their thoughts to the outer world.

Robert Knight, a senior member of the team and director of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, spoke to the media, “This is exciting in terms
of the basic science of how the brain decodes what we hear. Potentially, the technique could be used to develop an implantable prosthetic device to aid speaking, and for some patients that would be wonderful.”

He further added, “The next step is to test whether we can decode a word when a person imagines it. That might sound spooky, but this could really help patients. Perhaps in 10 years it
will be as common as grandmother getting a new hip.”

The scientists conducted experiments on 15 patients in the US. These experiments revealed that the mind reading device can decipher the brain activity of these patients and play back words
they heard. However, sometimes the words were difficult to recognise. The study is published in the journal PLoS Biology.

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Posted by Zeeshan Gohar on Feb 14 2012. Filed under Sci-Tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry