Mind Reading

For hundreds if not thousands of years, there have been innumerable mystics, magicians, and astrologers who have claimed to have the ability to read minds. Although most of these have been discounted as kooks, even in our modern scientific society, the prospect of reading minds is a concept that refuses to disappear. Movies such as the Matrix and books such as Isaac Asimov's Foundation series have explored the consequences that occur when men or machines learn telepathy. To date, there are no persons or machines that can read a person's mind, but it seems that machines have slowly been gaining ground in this field. Whether it be lie detection, detection of electric potentials inside the brain, or mental control of robotic arms, science seems to be on its way to a future where we can interact directly with computers without the use of a middleman such our hands or voice.

For some people such as those who are handicapped or disabled, this advance in technology could be the equivalent of a miracle allowing the them to overcome the limitations of their body. The lame could walk; the blind could see; and the deaf could hear. For others, this use of modern science is terrifying rather than miraculous. Some look to the very movies and books that inspired the creation of these inventions and point out the terrible fallout that almost always accompanies these inventions. Putting aside the fears of sentient robots who will destroy the world, there are those who believe that these technologies could be used to constantly monitor or even modify the thoughts of people ending individuality and freedom of speech on a whole new level. Others usually of a more religious affiliation, deem it unnecessary to make machines that could very well prolong life or affect "miracles" that should be reserved for God.

EEG or electroencephalography is a technology capable of reading the tiny currents that move inside of a brain. Originally, the technique was only usable by direct surgical insertion of electrodes into the brain making it a costly and very invasive technique. With advances in the technology, it is now possible to place electrodes on the scalp with only a slight cleaning beforehand to minimize dirt and dead skin tissue. While not as effective as direct insertion, this method has quickly become more popular for obvious reasons. Most don't want metal wires sticking out of their brain through their skull. Using this technology and a BCI or Brain-Computer Interface it is possible for a computer to interpret certain brain patterns. Interfaces like this have become good enough that they can tell when a person imagines moving their right as opposed to their left hand and vice versa. In the future in may be possible for a computers using nothing but an EEG and BCI to understand and act on the thoughts of people.

Another advance in the field of BCI's stems from the needs of the handicapped most notably those who are in need of an arm. A new prosthetic arm has been created that using a system similar to an EEG to read the potentials created by specific muscles. When these muscles are contracted the current created is detected and a signal is sent to the artificial limb causing it to contract. These new arms have allowed those who have lost an arm to at will pick up or grab objects. While not perfected yet, it is entirely conceivable with the improvement of the hand on these limbs and the strength of the arm that loss of an arm or indeed any limb will become a minor nuisance rather than life changing.