Mind-reading devices can now predict preconscious thoughts: is it time to worry?
16 hours ago
- #ethics
- #neurotechnology
- #brain-computer interface
- Nancy Smith, paralyzed from a car crash, regained the ability to make music using a brain–computer interface (BCI) that translated her thoughts into keystrokes.
- BCIs can decode brain signals from the motor cortex to control assistive technologies, benefiting those with paralysis or neuromuscular disorders.
- Implanting BCIs in the posterior parietal cortex, associated with reasoning and planning, may improve prosthetic device performance.
- Ethical concerns arise over neural data privacy and the potential influence of neurotechnologies on thoughts and actions, especially with AI integration.
- Consumer neurotech products, like EEG headsets, measure brain states (alertness, focus) but lack regulatory oversight, raising privacy issues.
- AI enhances EEG signal processing, making it viable for real-life applications, though concerns persist about data misuse.
- Chile and some US states have laws protecting neural data, but gaps remain regarding inferences made from combined data streams.
- Synchron's BCI, nearing clinical approval, allows users to control devices by imagining movements, offering hope for severe paralysis cases.
- Neuralink and other companies are advancing BCIs, with potential applications in speech restoration and psychiatric treatment.
- Future BCIs may target subconscious thought precursors, aiding in diagnosing and treating psychiatric conditions through neural activity monitoring.