Hitachi Develops Portable Brain Scanner

Hitachi has successfully trial manufactured a lightweight, portable brain scanner that enables users to keep tabs on their mental activity during the course of their daily lives.

The system, which consists of a 400 gram (14 oz) headset and a 630 gram (1 lb 6 oz) controller worn on the waist, is the result of Hitachi’s efforts to transform the brain scanner into a familiar everyday item that anyone can use.

The rechargeable battery-operated mind reader relies on Hitachi’s so-called “optical topography” technology, which interprets mental activity based on subtle changes in the brain’s blood flow.

In addition to health and medical applications, Hitachi foresees uses for the personal mind reader in fields such as psychology, education and marketing.

The technology could also be used in new forms of entertainment such as “mind gaming,” where the player’s physical brain activity becomes a part of game play. It is also feasible to integrate the brain scanner with a remote control brain-machine interface that would allow users to operate electronic devices with their minds.


SOURCE:
Pink Tentacle

This is a very cool technological development, with many possible uses.

It seems that we are entering the first baby stages of Mind-Machine Interfaces with
this kind of technology being developed, not only by Hitachi, but similar technologies
using different techniques also being developed by other companies as well.

I think though that more than a few people are going to be disappointed, as they will
think it's more than it will be.
It's like they say "Humans overestimate technology in the short term and underestimate
it in the long term".


Comments, Opinions?

[edit on 5/23/2007 by iori_komei]