Buehrle>Wood Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Researchers from Japan’s ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories have developed new brain analysis technology that can reconstruct the images inside a person’s mind and display them on a computer monitor, it was announced on December 11. According to the researchers, further development of the technology may soon make it possible to view other people’s dreams while they sleep. The scientists were able to reconstruct various images viewed by a person by analyzing changes in their cerebral blood flow. Using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, the researchers first mapped the blood flow changes that occurred in the cerebral visual cortex as subjects viewed various images held in front of their eyes. Subjects were shown 400 random 10 x 10 pixel black-and-white images for a period of 12 seconds each. While the fMRI machine monitored the changes in brain activity, a computer crunched the data and learned to associate the various changes in brain activity with the different image designs. Then, when the test subjects were shown a completely new set of images, such as the letters N-E-U-R-O-N, the system was able to reconstruct and display what the test subjects were viewing based solely on their brain activity. For now, the system is only able to reproduce simple black-and-white images. But Dr. Kang Cheng, a researcher from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute, suggests that improving the measurement accuracy will make it possible to reproduce images in color. “These results are a breakthrough in terms of understanding brain activity,” says Dr. Cheng. “In as little as 10 years, advances in this field of research may make it possible to read a person’s thoughts with some degree of accuracy.” The researchers suggest a future version of this technology could be applied in the fields of art and design — particularly if it becomes possible to quickly and accurately access images existing inside an artist’s head. The technology might also lead to new treatments for conditions such as psychiatric disorders involving hallucinations, by providing doctors a direct window into the mind of the patient. ATR chief researcher Yukiyasu Kamitani says, “This technology can also be applied to senses other than vision. In the future, it may also become possible to read feelings and complicated emotional states.” The research results appear in the December 11 issue of US science journal Neuron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangercal Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Like something out of Fringe. This is just too cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 12:14 AM) Like something out of Fringe. This is just too cool. That's exactly what I was going to say. They used the same concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipps Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 There are some dreams I would really LOVE to see over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkBomber Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 This is a terrible idea. My thoughts scare me, I dont want anyone else seeing them. Just wait until they start using this to solve crimes and stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 09:36 AM) This is a terrible idea. My thoughts scare me, I dont want anyone else seeing them. Just wait until they start using this to solve crimes and stuff. Muuuuurder..... Almost like freakin' Minority Report right there, minus the whole PRE part of the cognition.. Edited December 12, 2008 by Steve9347 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthsideDon48 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 09:36 AM) This is a terrible idea. My thoughts scare me, I dont want anyone else seeing them. Just wait until they start using this to solve crimes and stuff. Wow, that's a scary thought. I can just imagine the potential disasters of false convictions if an innocent man is presented with crime scene pictures during interrogation and in the midst of confusion he imagines himself at the crime scene and the authorities assume that the images produced from the machine implied guilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Tizzle Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 It'd be interesting to view the visuals on screen. I wonder if it'd be like watching a movie with every detail clearly represented or some odd collection of shapes/colors Although I find this hilarious: The researchers suggest a future version of this technology could be applied in the fields of art and design — particularly if it becomes possible to quickly and accurately access images existing inside an artist’s head. The technology might also lead to new treatments for conditions such as psychiatric disorders involving hallucinations, by providing doctors a direct window into the mind of the patient. Yeah, that's exactly why you'll continue to receive government grants to complete this project -- to be applied in the fields of art and design. LOLz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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