In the spirit of "Eternal Sunshine" Christopher deCharms runs Omneuro, a California startup practice that uses brain scanning to help patients deal with chronic pain, as well as psychological conditions like addiction and depression. And much like the fictional Lacuna, Inc. it uses brain imaging to identify the location of activity when the pain is being experienced; the patient is guided to channel his or her mental energy to dissipate the activity in that region. It's no surprise that other startups are entering the scene using brain imaging for other purposes, for example, to identify when someone may be lying, or how a consumer responds to a marketing message. What excites the owners of these companies (besides the profit potential) is how the technology will empower people to have a better relationship with their own brains and thoughts. But if we learn to truly lasso the lightning rod will we actually want the control?

Labels: brain, convergence, mind control, technology