I didn't expect that it would come so soon.

My last post was about using practical mind control devices to operate technology in the real world. No sooner than this week Wired reported that Duke University - home of the Blue Devils (ha, title tie-in!) - is working on just such technology in partnership with the Pentagon. Mind control technology could be used for everything from video games to practical applications, like prosthetics, nano-sized tweezers for medical purposes, and weaponry.

This technology begs the question asked previously: if machines can interpret thoughts one direction, what is stopping them from thinking the other direction? Of course researchers are depending on the other human senses to interface with the devices we will control with our minds.

But it stands to reason that if, for example, someone was using such technology for a prosthetic arm they would only be able to communicate with the arm to grasp, lift, bend, and reach. However, you would ideally want to use the arm to sense the weight, texture, temperature, and other physical properties of objects. Thus, for the arm to work ideally, there would have to be technology to communicate the properties of objects back into brain language.

If they can create technology to do that, believe me, I will be an early adopter of the robotic arm.

Labels: mind control, prosthetics, technology