Electronic telepathy
Scientists have created the first direct brain-to-brain interface by connecting two people via the Internet
DailyTechInfo based on Popular Science: Watch A Professor Control Another Professor's Mind From Across CampusResearchers from the University of Washington have demonstrated a non-invasive (non-surgical) direct interface developed by them, capable of connecting the brains of two people via the Internet, regardless of the distance separating them.
This achievement can be considered the first step in the development of remote consciousness control technologies or the first implementation of "electronic telepathy" technology.
The development of this interface is based on the results of research by scientists from Duke University, who connected the brains of two rodents via the Internet, one located in the United States and the second located in Brazil. Despite such a considerable distance, these two animals successfully coped with solving difficult logical tasks together. Later, using a similar approach, researchers from Harvard demonstrated an interface between the human brain and the animal brain, allowing a person to remotely control the movements of animal body parts.
In this case, Rajesh Rao, a professor of information technology at the University of Washington, used his thoughts to control the actions of Andrea Stucco, a researcher at the same university. During the experiment, Rajesh Rao put a grid of EEG sensors on his head, which read the electrical signals of his brain activity. Above the head of his opponent, Andrea Stucco, a complex electromagnetic coil was installed, the field of which is capable of exerting an exciting effect on certain areas of the brain, in particular on the areas of the left hemisphere cortex that control the movements of human hands.
During the experiment, Rajesh Rao mentally, without making physical movements, moved his right hand by pressing the fire button of a virtual weapon in a computer game. Special software translated the signals of the electroencephalogram of his brain into a sequence of commands, which was then transmitted in real time via an Internet connection to the brain of his opponent. Andrea Stucco was in another room at the time, looking at the monitor on which the actions of the aforementioned computer game were unfolding. His hand moved quite unintentionally and pressed the space bar at the moments when Rajesh Rao pressed the same, only imaginary key.
What scientists from the University of Washington have shown us is a fairly simple system that allows only primitive brain signals to be exchanged. In addition, the experiment took place in ideal conditions, and the equipment used was not connected to external information networks outside the laboratory, which ensured the safety of the experiment.
"Our interface is still unidirectional, the flow of information moves only in one direction, from one brain to another," says Rajesh Rao, "Our next step will be to create an equal two–way interface through which the brains of two people will be able to exchange information directly."
In the future, the researchers plan to create a real system based on the technologies they have developed, which will allow people who cannot speak and move to establish communication with others, and people with a richer imagination can immediately imagine a technology that allows remote control of a person's body against his will and desires. Fortunately, such a scenario is not yet possible, but how long will this state of affairs last?
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru29.08.2013