Brain imaging reveals the movies in our mind

Scientists Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and computational models at UC Berkeley have succeeded in decoding and reconstructing people's dynamic visual experiences. Put simply they have created a technique to read minds, translating a persons thoughts onto a computer screen. The technology is in its infancy, but its not too hard to imagine the profound implications and ethical questions it poses if they can perfect the process. It has many practical applications.

Eventually, practical applications of the technology could include a better understanding of what goes on in the minds of people who cannot communicate verbally, such as stroke victims, coma patients and people with neurodegenerative diseases. It may also lay the groundwork for brain-machine interface so that people with cerebral palsy or paralysis, for example, can guide computers with their minds

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This set of paired images provided by Shinji Nishimoto of the University of California, Berkeley on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011 shows original video images, upper row, and those images reconstructed by computer from brain scans. While volunteers watched movie clips, a scanner watched their brains. And from their brain activity, a computer made rough reconstructions of what they viewed. Scientists reported that result Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011 and speculated such an approach might be able to reveal dreams and hallucinations someday. In the future, it might help stroke victims or others who have no other way to communicate, said Jack Gallant, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-author of the paper. (University of California, Berkeley, Shinji Nishimoto)

While this technology has great potential to offer a lot of people with various disabilities a new lease of life, it also has the potential to be used in some very frightening and sinister applications. Full article here:medicalxpress.com...

edit on 23-9-2011 by Atzil321 because: (no reason given)

reply to post by Atzil321


OMG...this day came quicker than I was expecting. Constructing an image from visual thoughts. It's absurd. I didn't even think it would be possible. My memories are in 3D unless I'm specifically thinking about a 2D image. How do they plan to process 3D thoughts?

Once this tech becomes good they could use it to watch suppressed memories while the subject is under hypnosis. I can't wait to watch an alien abduction.

Intriguing but scary technology, S&F.

Wow. This is nothing short of amazing. Que Twilight Zone Theme. I never thought this sort of thing would escape the world of fantasy. It does have some potentially sinister uses, TPTB will abuse it most definitely (thought crimes anyone?), but the most sinister of them all will be everyone uploading their useless thoughts on youtube.

reply to post by Atzil321

In the future, it might help stroke victims or others who have no other way to communicate

WOW. Imagine that. It'll be like Hawking's v2.0

Now that this is possible we will never see it again. This has too many applications for the military and those like the military who will misuse it. The gov is going to keep this under lock and key.

That is a very scary progression - and I really wonder whether humans should attempt to develop this kind of technology in our current evolutionary state.

The mind-control and mind-image-harvesting utilization of this technology will be absolutely frightening if wielded by the wrong people.

The article goes on to state:

However, researchers point out that the technology is decades from allowing users to read others' thoughts and intentions, as portrayed in such sci-fi classics as "Brainstorm," in which scientists recorded a person's sensations so that others could experience them.

Decades away? Only decades? Why - that means that within my lifetime my sensations could be recorded to be experienced by others - truly frightening!

Reminds me in a sense of a sci-fi short story that I read some years ago. Cannot remember the author or the exact title, and a quick Google doesn't provide me with info. I think the title was "Dreamers" and basically dealt with a future scenario in which people's thoughts and dreams could be recorded, and replayed by others from within their minds for entertainment value. Some people were more gifted in the ability to "dream" - they were called "dreamers" and were employed for their ability to visualize colourful and vivid day-dreams which also involved the full array of senses, for others to experience.

Even so - it still remains a scary prospect. Will we then yearn back to today as the time when "our brains and thoughts were still our own"? S+F

yep...it'll get perfected, attached to remote control technology and WHAMO! an FBI/ CIA/ DHS/ ATF/ Orel Roberts agent on every corner with it, scanning your mind... YOU PERVERT!

Fortunately, SPBF 35 and higher sunblock will provide protection from such invasive devices!

Might prove to be a bad invention for married couples

Call me crazy but I'd say this is old news for the military if we're just hearing about it in the mainstream now... Kinda like cloning... I don't believe for one minute that good ole Dolly was the first cloned anything...

The medical and therapeutic benefits are profound. Simply amazing. Could be an issue when military and police begin to use this for interrogations, awesome for psychs to use in therapy sessions. No longer will you have rely solely on body language and verbal expressions, both very unreliable in some cases. Now you can get directly to the thought before language begins to filter it.

Wow, kind of like the technology used on the NEXT movie. Where they used an equipment to see what was going on in Cage's mind when he's having his future vision.

hi can you guys tell me what kind of sinister use can be use from this technology ? =]

wow that is super cool!..but one of the first things I did think of was a kind of patriot act/echelon type monitoring system for your thoughts.. yikes!..

wow , i think this could be used to find out if someone is guilty of a crime or not ! perfect

Sorry I don't believe it.Those pictures are nothing like the originals and look more like abstract water colours. Cant even blow the pics up for a closer look. I think theses are fake.

Originally posted by ShamilAbdullah
wow , i think this could be used to find out if someone is guilty of a crime or not ! perfect

A few years back I read about a similar idea.
When you see an image, the brain patterns are different if you recognise it as having seen it before (or not).

So if your hypothetical accused person says they've never seen the victim, never been to the crime scene...etc... then they can be shown a picture and brain patterns checked to see if they recognise it or not.

Like this article

As amazing as it is & it is amazing,we'll probably not hear any news after a couple of months for maybe 5 or 6 years,sad but true.
it's in it's early stages but now the breakthrough has happened things might g alot faster..what an age we live in

I don't think that this kind of technology can even come close to the speed and complexity of human thought.
The images are too vague and simplistic. We don't think only images.
What happens when we think ideas? Abstract thoughts like philosophy, or mathematics?

I imagine an investigator asking the suspect: "did you killed that person?". In his mind, the suspect thinks "this guy is so stupid to think I will admit it." And what will be the image on the computer? The image of the investigator with a clown hat and a stupid glare in his eyes?

I think only a mind can read another mind. But just in case....is time to learn some thoughts control.

reply to post by Atzil321


not being funny but those pictures that are meant to be the same dont even look like each other.

2nd line

bollox

Here come the brain police.

"Excuse me Sir, we have evidence you have been thinking illegal thoughts, say 5 Hail Mary's and pay this on-the-spot fine or go directly to Jail and do not pass Go"

I want a frontal lobotomy and electro-shock therapy while wearing a clockwork orange like eye-opening device on a heavy dose of Valium and Largactil mixed in with '___'?MDMA/'___' cocktail for good measure. All while watching a documentary about little fluffy clouds. Right now!

May the deities help us...