Thoughts translated into spoken words – video

person

The brain activity of volunteers was recorded as they listened to words. These signals were then used to create computer algorithms that could translate brain activity back into audio. Next, the patients were played a collection of new words to see if the algorithms could pick out and repeat recognisable words. Among them were words such as "Waldo", "structure", "doubt" and "property".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/video/2012/jan/31/thoughts-translated-spoken-words-video

This is the very first attempt at something like this and they get semi close.

The thought police are coming! :eek: :hiding:

Zero

I saw this published a few days ago - I thought it was great... all I had in my mind was patients in comas talking or people who are paralysed or lost motor function being able to talk without those computer interfaces... Ive even been saying kiss my ass over and over in my mind to really strengthen the pathways!! Never occured to me that this could be used to read your mind... thats....actually...quite...worrying.

person

I saw this published a few days ago - I thought it was great... all I had in my mind was patients in comas talking or people who are paralysed or lost motor function being able to talk without those computer interfaces...

Yeah, this is actually the main application being cited by the researchers. I just like being paranoid. :hrm:

Science Friday did 10-15 minutes on this today if you're interested. The audio player is in the upper left corner.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/201202036

Zero

Thank you - I am very interested... how very worrying - the steady erosion of freedoms is terrifying... sometimes I have weird thoughts - right... I'm getting the foil back in my hat... they all said I was mad but here it is!

Zero

hahaha - even Ira Flatow didnt want his mind read... what is the sick f*** hiding?

person

hahaha - even Ira Flatow didnt want his mind read... what is the sick f*** hiding?

Lol, Burn him! :rarr:

Zero

Thanks for that - very interesting...

person

If this became a reality for people unable to speak the words that they think or the similar idea of using the mind to direct prosthetics, I wonder how they would tell the difference between thinking about saying something and actually wanting to say something. Lol, imagine if everything you thought some computer automatically spit out. The joy of being able to speak would quickly disappear. Or thinking about punching someone but not actually wanting to, but there goes the arm anyway. :rolleyes:

Zero

There's recent research into the pathways for doing and thinking of doing - theyre the same apparently... so thinking of punching is similar if not identical to actually punching....uuuum - I heard it from one of the researchers direct...theyre applying this to A.I as they thing that for a computer brain to think like a human and perhaps develop consciousness like us, there needs to be motor pathways that have dual use... so the same pathways used to move your arm also provide the type of response required to create the reality to support abstract thought say... and still aliens insist in probing the anus? they've got the wrong end surely...? :screwy: