Communications of the ACM
Brain Computer Interfaces Inch Closer to Mainstream
While experts say that real access to the brain still requires an implanted chip, researchers are investigating non-invasive brain computer interfaces that would allow users to interact with smart devices using only their minds.
Credit: Emotiv
Increasingly sophisticated brain computer interfaces might soon allow users to interact with smart devices using only their minds.
Researchers in Samsung’s Emerging Technology Lab are testing tablets that can be controlled with the brain, using a cap with monitoring electrodes, according to the MIT Technology Review. Car manufacturers are exploring technologies that detect when drivers fall asleep and rattle the steering wheel to awaken them.
Despite these advances, experts say for the time being, real access to the brain still requires an implanted chip.
However, knowledge of the brain is on the brink of tremendous advances that will significantly improve brain computer interfaces. The Obama administration this year announced a project that will create a comprehensive map of the brain, and while the complete map is expected to take a decade, improved brain computer interface products are likely to emerge within two years. The Brain Activity Map "will revolutionize everything from robotic implants and neural prosthetics, to remote controls, which could be history in the foreseeable future when you can change your television channel by thinking about it," says molecular biologist Miyoung Chun, who is working on the project.
From The New York Times
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