Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Mind Over Machine

Posted by michael on from the ultimate-laziness dept.

broKenfoLd writes "Monkeys moving robotic arms by manipulating a cursor on a computer screen, simply by thinking about it? Mice who cause their water tube to dispense some refreshing H2O just by wishing it? Signal processing and decoding has long been a dream of Matrix fans and lazy system administrators for years, and science is amazingly keeping up! Popular Science's Carl Zimmer has written a fascinating piece documenting recent progress in decoding brain signals and interpreting commands issued from thoughts alone. If you heard a single violin playing Beethoven's 5th, you would be able to tell what piece of music was being played even though the rest of the orchestra was not heard. In the same way, by monitoring a relatively few neurons, computers can recognize patterns and allow programming based on these patterns to say, know if a mouse is thinking about pushing his water lever. You can pass the time waiting for Matrix-style video games and motionless system adminstration/utilization by reading the full article."

21 of 331 comments (clear)

  1. Channel surfing by Dashing+Leech · · Score: 5, Funny

    But can it be used for channel surfing. That's the ultimate goal.

    1. Re:Channel surfing by spectecjr · · Score: 5, Funny

      but the TV would be stuck on the p0rn channel. if you've got a wife, LOOK OUT!!

      The trick is to marry someone who enjoys watching porn with you. It's not that hard; if I can do it, anyone can.

      --
      Coming soon - pyrogyra
    2. Re:Channel surfing by lcsjk · · Score: 5, Funny

      What's his name?

    3. Re:Channel surfing by tanguyr · · Score: 5, Funny

      i'm thinking real hard of modding you +1 funny. let me know how it works out.

      --
      #!/usr/bin/english
    4. Re:Channel surfing by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
      > > Nice try, but women don't enjoy porn. They've got this thing with emotional bonding and sensible family life.
      >
      > Nice try, but I know several women who do enjoy porn. You're just not getting to know the right women.

      Or he's not showing them the right pr0n. (This is Slashdot, after all.)

  2. Just don't forget one thing! by Bendebecker · · Score: 5, Funny

    Monsters, John! Monsters... from the id!

    --
    There's a growing sense that even if The Future comes,
    most of us won't be able to afford it.
    -- Lemmy
  3. This could be bad... by jhouserizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can you imagine what might happen when a "hottie" walks though the office?

    1. Re:This could be bad... by FooGoo · · Score: 5, Funny

      all the CD drives prematurely eject?

      --
      People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them
    2. Re:This could be bad... by bluGill · · Score: 5, Funny

      Interesting question. I love questions like this that we can debate, secure in the knowledge that we will never find out the real answer. Eventually we will find out what it is like to have this working, but we geeks will never find out what it is like to have a "hottie" walk though the office.

      Congratulations, you have posed the perfect open ended question.

    3. Re:This could be bad... by elbarrio · · Score: 5, Funny

      ahhh.... you obviously have never worked on the same floor as HR. ;)

  4. We have that already. by tktk · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...motionless system adminstration/utilization...

    I call it sleeping.

  5. Not such a big deal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    My water tube can dispense a refreshing H20-based substance just by wishing.

  6. Wow, Me Too! by MooseByte · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Mice who cause their water tube to dispense some refreshing H2O just by wishing it?"

    Uncanny! Just this morning I caused by "water tube" to dispense liquid just by wishing it too!

  7. Re:Say it all with me now... by ImaNumber · · Score: 5, Funny

    The best part is that this computer can be mass produced with unskilled labor!

  8. Maybe in the future... by BW_Nuprin · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...we'll be able to RTFA just by thinking about it!

    But that would require thinking, and that hurts :(

  9. Re:umm.. not just yet. by millahtime · · Score: 4, Funny

    "but if you tried to walk with 95% accuracy"

    95% is better than me and my friends after a night out onthe town and we make it home ok. 95% is pretty good betting odds, too.

    --
    Evolution or ID?
  10. Re:I don't think it will ever be like in the movie by kfg · · Score: 5, Funny

    But a rat's mind is way simpler.

    Allow me to introduce you to our management team.

    KFG

  11. I'm thinking of.... by weeboo0104 · · Score: 5, Funny

    FIRST POST! FIRST POST!

    (Damn, didn't work)

    Natalie Portman in my cube.

    (Nope, still doesn't work)

    I want to be overworked and overpaid, but still have time to surf slashdot from work.

    (Woohoo! It works!)

    --
    It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglass
  12. Is it time for ... ClippyXP? by ggvaidya · · Score: 5, Funny
    "You are thinking of typing a letter ... "

    Pleeeeeeease don't let MS get their hands on this one, mister!

  13. I thong ot well be cool! by rjelks · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't waid two get this of my home computer. I hoop is works is goat as me speak recondition program!

    -

    --


    Tech News, Reviews and Tutorials
  14. Re:Is this a troll? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd like to see a simple switch based on brain activity that would toggle on during sexual thought/arousal and toggle off in the absence of that

    I believe its called a penis my friend.