The technology used in No More Woof is the result of combining the latest technologies in three different tech-areas, EEG(Electroencephalography)-sensoring, Micro Computing and special BCI (Brain Computer Interface) software. The EEG reads the brain’s electrical signals, they get analyzed and translated by the BCI using a Raspberry PI and you hear the results.
This is an ingenious use of technology which might improve inter species communication.
What are your thoughts?
]]>Here is Dr James’ BCI experiment to watch.
As Dr. James said, B2B can be beneficial to people with severe debilitating muscle wasting diseases or with “locked-in” syndrome.
]]>This may sound like science fiction but the tools already exist to monitor and interpret brain activity. As stated by Alois Schlogl and Clemens Brunner in their article at October 2008 issue of Computer magazine, BCI’s purpose is to identify the user’s intention by analyzing only brain activity. In the article is presented the BIOSIG library which is a free and open source library of biomedical processing tools.
Recent research has revealed that Brain wave patterns can predict blunders. Neuroscientist Ole Jensen, Ali Mazaheri and colleagues Institute at the University of California, Davis, in collaboration with the Donders Institute in the Netherlands, has found a distinct electric signature in the brain which predicts that an error is about to be made.
By analyzing the recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) data, the research team found that about a second an error were committed, brain waves in two regions were stronger than when the subjects correctly refrained from hitting the button. In the back of the head (the occipital region), alpha wave activity was about 25 percent stronger, and in the middle region, the sensorimotor cortex, there was a corresponding increase in the brain’s mu wave activity.
“The alpha and mu rhythms are what happen when the brain runs on idle,” Mazaheri explained. “Say you’re sitting in a room and you close your eyes. That causes a huge alpha rhythm to rev up in the back of your head. But the second you open your eyes, it drops dramatically, because now you’re looking at things and your neurons have visual input to process.”
Wireless EKG can help identify errors before they happen. If the technology is limited on these areas then it is used for something serving the common good. If the technology is used to monitor brain activity and spot “deviant” activity then we are not far from a thought police as described by George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. In my opinion is in our hands to produce a manifest that will clearly state that Computer professionals and Software engineers should not consent into the use of this technology in general population but only on specific beneficial situations. (Air traffic control)
]]>At Drexel University’s RePlay Lab, they are trying to measure the level of neurotransmitters in a subject’s brain to create games where mere thought controls gameplay. The lab created a 3-D game called Lazybrains that connects a neuro-monitoring device and a gaming engine.The system uses the Functional Near-Infrared Imaging Device, which shines infrared light into a user’s forehead and records the amount of light that is transmitted back to detect changes and deduce information about the amount of oxygen in the user’s blood. Concentration sends more oxygen to the frontal lobe, meaning a gamer’s concentration can be used to manipulate the height of platforms in the game.
Advancements in human computer interaction will also come from users looking to improve their personal experience by hacking, mashing and modifying devices, says Klemmer.
The keyboard and the mouse aren’t going to disappear completely. For word processing, the keyboard remains the most efficient method of input, say researchers.
]]>In my opinion as research continues in the field of BMI more techniques will evolve that will make this approach easy enough to implement and support thus giving hope to many people.
Reference
MICHAEL J. RIEZENMAN (2008). Melding Mind and Machine. Available at: http://www.theinstitute.ieee.org/portal/site/tionline/menuitem.130a3558587d56e8fb2275875bac26c8/index.jsp?&pName=institute_level1_article&TheCat=2201&article=tionline/legacy/inst2008/jun08/featuretechnology.xml&
Wikipedia (2008). Brain-computer interface. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain-computer_interface
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