UW Researchers Demonstrate First Direct Communication Between Human Brains

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UW Researchers Demonstrate First Direct Communication Between Human Brains

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday August 27, 2013 @07:39AM from the i'm-just-going-to-remote-in-and-fix-this-problem-for-you dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Opening a fascinating set of ethical and legal issues, researchers at UW Seattle have demonstrated the first device to allow direct communication between two humans' brains. Effectively, they allowed a subject to play a video game with another subject's fingers. For now, the communication is uni-directional, though they intend to extend it to bi-directional. EEG sensors are attached to a subject's motor cortex to detect 'motor imagery' — imagined hand movement, in this case. That activity is translated and sent over a computer network where it triggers a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator (TMS) located over Subject 2's motor cortex. Effectively, Subject 1 imagines moving their hand, and Subject 2's hand moved."

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Brings a whole new meaning... by bosef1 · 2013-08-27 07:43 · Score: 5, Funny

to the "Stop Hitting Yourself" game.
I saw that movie! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-27 07:43 · Score: 3, Funny

there was a rat under a chef's hat, right?
Re:Misleading... by i+kan+reed · 2013-08-27 07:44 · Score: 5, Insightful

And using a telephone isn't contacting someone directly? Even as far as pedantry goes, that's pretty pedantic.
Imagine the future by cp5i6 · 2013-08-27 07:45 · Score: 4, Funny

of inet pr0n!
Re:Let's just cover the basics here real quick... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-27 07:54 · Score: 3, Funny

If you use the left hand it feels like a stranger is doing it.
Won't use it until my brain discloses it's source by behrooz0az · 2013-08-27 08:06 · Score: 5, Interesting

Have you considered the very real posibility that brain may not have proper mandatory authorization and intput verification and anyone with local access can say stop your heart?

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Re:Let's just cover the basics here real quick... by ColdWetDog · 2013-08-27 08:07 · Score: 5, Funny

Mein Furher! I can walk!

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Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
Re:Transitional by ColdWetDog · 2013-08-27 08:10 · Score: 3, Insightful

A six pack, a bottle of Tequila and some mescaline works just as well. No wires.

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Re:Not that impressive by geekoid · 2013-08-27 08:10 · Score: 5, Insightful

Person ignorant of the science and engineering uses his ignorance to declare it isn't impressive.
Learn to think.
Hint: It's as impressive as hell.

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Prerecorded impulses? by Antipater · 2013-08-27 08:14 · Score: 4, Interesting

Can they record and save the impulse patterns? I can see it now - just pop on my brain-stimulating hat, hit play, and I can finally Dougie!

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It's only creepy if you speculate. by Remus+Shepherd · 2013-08-27 08:15 · Score: 5, Insightful

Okay, let's just speculate about all the ways this could be misused:
*-- Vending machines that make you reach into your pocket and pull out money whenever you pass by them.
*-- Rich handicapped people buying time on poor people's bodies.
*-- Rich people buying time on poor people's bodies, in order to do criminal things.
*-- Police officers with a 'lay down with your hands behind your back' raygun.
I'm sure I missed a few, any suggestions?

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1. Re:It's only creepy if you speculate. by ShanghaiBill · 2013-08-27 08:42 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I'm sure I missed a few, any suggestions?
  My wife could use this to make me wash the dishes.
2. Re:It's only creepy if you speculate. by EmperorArthur · 2013-08-27 09:26 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  *-- Rich handicapped people buying time on poor people's bodies.
  *-- Rich people buying time on poor people's bodies, in order to do criminal things.
  They made a movie about that, except that it was "Rich people buying time on peoples bodies to do whatever the hell they wanted," and "Rich people buying time on death row inmate's bodies to make them kill each other."
  Gamer
  It still has some major plot holes that need to be overlooked, but I thought it was a decent sci-fi action flic.
  
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With further development ... by hendrikboom · 2013-08-27 08:32 · Score: 4, Interesting

Would this help people with locked-in syndrome? Would they be able to use someone else's hand to act? to communicate?
Which one of the two people would have to have Parkinson's to make the resulting hand movements irregular?
Etc., Etc.
-- hendrik
Re:Not that impressive by PPH · 2013-08-27 08:36 · Score: 3, Insightful

You know those magnets that can shut down a portion of your brain if you put the plate right against your skull?
This explains those people walking down the street wearing headphones.

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Have gnu, will travel.
Re:Misleading... by Scarletdown · 2013-08-27 10:28 · Score: 4, Funny

All those who believe in telekinesis, raise my hand.

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