The sound of neural music
Key Takeaways
Call it theShazamfor brains.
Scientists used machines to monitor brain signals and then computer algorithms to pick out which song was being heard.
The study is the latest in a growing number of projects to decode human brain waves using computers.
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Efforts to interpret brain waves are coming close to fruition, experts say.
“Are we capable of decoding neural representations in a way that is of practical value for humans?”
Harvard neurology researcherRichard Hakimsaid in a phone interview.
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“The answer is we’re kind of there.”
The room was darkened, and the volunteers were blindfolded.
Each participant was monitored with an electroencephalography (EEG) machine.
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An artificial neural web connection reportedly wastrainedto identify the connections between the brain wave data and the music.
The neural connection was nearly 85% accurate in predicting what song was being played.
The EEG is placed outside the head.
“Its sort of like going to a soccer arena and listening to what the crowd is yelling.
You know very roughly where things are happening, but not what they are talking about.”
A more accurate way to measure brain activity is by sticking probes into the skull, Hakim said.
However, understandably, not many people sign up for this kind of experiment.
“I mostly work on mice,” he added.
The research could lead to technology that one day would help people with disabilities manipulate objects using their minds.
Tiny threads are inserted into areas of the brain that control movement.
Each thread contains many electrodes and is connected to an implanted computer.
Brain-machine interfaces might even one day help make video games more realistic.
The company is working to develop open-source brain-computer interface software, he said.
One possible use for the technology would be to let people be more connected to gaming software.
Newell also suggested that interfaces could be used to control human bodily functions like sleep.
These are exciting times in the human-machine interface field.
I often feel that a computer hooked up to my brain would come in handy.
c’mon make mine noninvasive, though.
