Australian invention turns your thoughts into words

[The Straight Story]

Australian invention turns your thoughts into words

A GROUP of students from the University of Canberra have developed a system that can read people's thoughts and translate them into words on a computer screen.

The "Brain Speller" headset tunes into signals being sent from the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp.

Once the signals have been detected, a software program can translate them into words, allowing sufferers of paralysis, brain damage or dementia to communicate.

Users are given a portable computer which runs the program.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/university-students-develop-mind-reading-headset-that-writes-down-users-thoughts/story-e6frfro0-1226050500583

[JDPriestly]

1. Sounds like a jobkiller for police investigators.

Just put the headphones on the suspects, ask a few questions and watch the printout of the thoughts. We would still need some investigators, but far fewer. Of course, this would violate the Fifth Amendment of our Constitution as we now understand it, but I'm sure that the conservatives on the Supreme Court can handle that small challenge.

[jwirr]

2. From the mother of a child who has never been able to speak that

sounds like a great idea. I wonder if they have ever tried this thing on a disabled person? We read her body language and the look in her eyes now. What I would not give to know what she understands and what she thinks. Oh, well it would cost too much.

Went back and saw the persons it has been tried on but my daughter is developmentally disabled. Still wondering if it would work on her.

[BR_Parkway]

6. If she's never spoken, not sure if the brain patterns that they are reading

would be similar enough to be able to translate them - or even someone who spoke a foreign language. Certainly be worth getting in touch to ask though. Good luck

[jwirr]

7. While she does not talk the people around her think she may understand

some language - we think her problem is communicating her thoughts. I certainly would love to know.

[immoderate]

3. It does not read minds.

It responds to things like twitches and blinks, according to one of the comments. This sounds more feasible to me. A program that could extract sentences from thought patterns sounds, well, :scared:

--imm

[jberryhill]

4. That's easy in Australia

When you have a population who is largely thinking about (a) beer and (b) throwing up in your car, then you pretty much just have to figure out which of those two things an Australian is thinking about at any given time.

[SpiralHawk]

5. What about the Sheilas?

Totally sexist of you to FAIL in acknowledging this other epic Subject of Contemplation Down Under...