'Mind-reading machine' can convert thoughts into speech

Richard Alleyne - The Telegraph - September 8, 2010

A mind reading machine is a step closer to reality after scientists discovered a way of translating people's thoughts into words.



Researchers have been able to translate brain signals into speech using sensors attached to the surface of the brain for the first time. The breakthrough, which is up to 90 percent accurate, offers a way to communicate for paralyzed patients who cannot speak and could eventually lead to being able to read anyone's thoughts.

"We were beside ourselves with excitement when it started working," said Professor Bradley Greger, a bioengineer at Utah University who led the team of researchers. "It was just one of the moments when everything came together. We have been able to decode spoken words using only signals from the brain with a device that has promise for long-term use in paralyzed patients who cannot now speak. I would call it brain reading and we hope that in two or three years it will be available for use for paralyzed patients."

The experimental breakthrough came when the team attached two button sized grids of 16 tiny electrodes to the speech centres of the brain of an epileptic patient. The sensors were attached to the surface of the brain The patient had had part of his skull removed for another operation to treat his condition. Using the electrodes, the scientists recorded brain signals in a computer as the patient repeatedly read each of 10 words that might be useful to a paralyzed person: yes, no, hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, hello, goodbye, more and less.

Then they got him to repeat the words to the computer and it was able to match the brain signals for each word 76 percent to 90 percent of the time. The computer picked up the patient's brain waves as he talked and did not use any voice recognition software. Because just thinking a word - and not saying it - is thought to produce the same brain signals, Prof Greger and his team believe that soon they will be able to have translation device and voice box that repeats the word you are thinking.

Read more: The Telegraph

 

Uh, no thanks.

I'd rather to keep my private thoughts to myself. Don't want anybody to read my thoughts at this point. Good god, we're far too attached to technology.

 

If this is ever used by the police, criminals will be fucked.

 

Precisely, and that will be one of it's many purposes.

 

do we really want to know what people are thinking....

seriously....






and are we civilized enough not to embarrass them, for being exposed for matters we only dream about (and would have exposed if we were put under the microscope)? I'm sure there is a psychological term for that. You know, when you make fun of some guy watching animal sex on national geographic, yet harbor the same curiosities about the activities of other mammals.

 

If this new technology is kept in the right hands..i.e police and medical folks, then I say yes. Just think, we could figure out what alqaeda were thinking if we caught one of their generals. We could even find Osama Bin Laden.

 

that shit works both ways lol

think of the damage that could happen, if one of our officers was captured

but like you said, in the 'right' hands it could be useful

 

If this thing really works and gets better in the future.... hmm... they will be able to translate our dreams too. Thats kind of scary but interesting!!!

 

You're right!!! But just like guns, everything gets into the wrong hands eventually!!

 

Are you guys crazy? This is the worst thing that could happen in terms of our civil liberties. The minute your thoughts are available to a government how long before we start going towards mind control. Its bad enough there are cameras everywhere monitoring what you do but you can't even be safe in your own head? That's too creepy for my taste.

 

LOL... Yeah MrFantastic... just think.. if it really worked then they would also find a way to manipulate it. Hey... you were just thinking of what it would be like to have sex with that female right?? They could eventually change that to show where you actually raped that female...SCARY!!!

 

Dude I wouldn't doubt it