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Controlling Computers With the Brain
Killam0n takes note of a story in CNN Money on progress in controlling computers via brainwaves. From an aspirin-sized implant a quadriplegic is now using to play computer games, the article extrapolates out to a near future in which we will all be wearing headband computers and IM'ing one another as if telepathically. "Two years ago, a quadriplegic man started playing video games using his brain as a controller. That may just sound like fun and games for the unfortunate, but really, it spells the beginning of a radical change in how we interact with computers — and business will never be the same. Someday, keyboards and computer mice will be remembered only as medieval-style torture devices for the wrists. All work — emails, spreadsheets, and Google searches — will be performed by mind control."
The next step will be mind-controlled Gundam-style robots for everyone. What's this world coming to?!
This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
Until we find out what kind of torture this imparts on the BRAIN.
Personally, I'd take the risks from straining my wrists due to mechanical motion over implanting a chip (along with unknown stressors) in my brain any day. If I'm going to potentionally cause harm to one part of my body, it'll be my wrists over my brain.
I'm not a luddite, really! But my brain is just too vital to me to start tossing implants into it.
Open Your Mind. Open Your Source.
Outdated? Slashdot?
You must be new here.
Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
Meh. It depends on the interface. I'd use an EEG-style system, which noninvasively reads electrical impulses. I'll be damned if I'll let them implant anything, though. Even LASIK is still way too radical for me.
As far as effectiveness -- and it replacing a keyboard and mouse? Talk to me about bandwidth. Can I fly a plane (Flight Sim) better with mind control? Well, maybe. Can I type up a report faster and with fewer errors than using my Model M? Perhaps someday.
I think the bottom line is that they are making progress -- but then again, I remember getting a voice-controlled Verbot back in the day. It would do the correct command about 30% of the time, as I remember. Speech recognition has improved, but we're still by and large not dictating our compositions to our PCs, even with three orders of magnitude more memory and CPU speed. Somehow, I think mind-control will take just as much work.
Then again, I hope they prove me wrong. Just on the coolness factor alone.
Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
If we can determine what people are thinking, we can certainly determine whether they're in a fully conscious state while they're doing it. With proper precautions, I don't think that's an issue.
Hell, it already is -- somehow my boss's very whims turn into tasks for me to perform. No real difference here... :-P
"What in the name of Fats Waller is that?"
"A four-foot prune."
That all sounds great but can you imagine trying to tech support that? "You say you can't get to your email? Have you tried thinking about it?" In reality the learning curve of your average desktop user may never allow this.
At best I see something like this working just about as well as current voice recognition software.
-makoffee
Twitter, read "Reflections on Trusting Trust" [no link provided]. Now. Free software doesn't provide full protection.
Thanks, I have read that before. So what? The point of free software is that you don't have to trust, you can see and verify for yourself. The learning compiler example is disturbing but not very. If you are really paranoid, you can start from scratch and toggle switches yourself. A less crazy method is to cross up distributions. Compile things from one distribution with another. Finally, you can simply trust the people at gnu.org and everyone using the tool chain that has not noticed problems. At the end of the day, free software still wins. You have every ability non free does and many more to validate what you think you have. People in the non free world are stuck trusting people who have violated that trust again and again.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
Well, I'm hesitant to have LASIK, 'cause I notice that pretty much all the doctors performing the procedure are all wearing glasses.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........