What is Mind Reading Computer?
Mind reading is a human psychological term that means to find out the perception or thoughts of any person through their facial expressions or body language.
Is there any ‘Mind Reading Computer’?
Well, for the past few years, many gigantic companies like Intel are researching on this topic. Finally, they have been working on such technology ‘Mind Reading Computer,’ which can evaluate human emotions, thoughts, and expressions.
By doing so, it can help humanity to resolve many issues like taking wrong decisions, understanding the other person from their emotions, and helping each other. Besides, this technology can be useful in many fields of areas such as hospitality, crime, communication, business, and others.
Furthermore, existing computer technology does not retain the same power. A simple computer interface may only act as a machine and respond to the commands as interpreted by the user. It may sometimes cause frustration in our minds that we cannot communicate with the computer as we want.
A general computer instinctively waits for an input from a user to process it and to give the final output. But unfortunately, human expectations are beyond, and the computer can only perform tasks what is programmed to function.
But what if I tell you that there is a machine under development which can understand our emotions, feelings, thoughts, and reacts accordingly. This technology understands at which time you desire what from the computer.
It sounds like a great deal! Right?
Yes, it is possible, and this technology has a name – ‘Mind Reading Computer.’
What is Mind Reading Computer?
Humans tend to express their feeling, emotions, and desires through facial expressions, body language, and gestures. The same thing is done while they interact with machines. A mind reading computer recognizes the mental state of humans from their actions and way of behavior. Further, this knowledge can be used to guide any person’s actions or to predict others.
This mind-reading technology is a combination of human psychology and computer science that enhances a computer to be aware of the user’s mental state and adaptively respond to these mental states.
The types of equipment that support this technology help in gathering and analyzing the data perceived from a human mind. Moreover, using the same data or information for future predictions or possibilities is known as the theory of mind reading.
Working of Mind Reading Computer
The mind reading computer works in a way by measuring the volume and oxygen level of the blood in a human brain. It is done with the help of a technology called fNIRS (Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy). Now, let’s see how this fNIRS technology works.
In this type of technology, the user is made to wear a helmet (you can call it futuristic headband). This headband sends light into the user head following the spectrum, which is then absorbed by active blood-filled tissues. Below is the process, how it works.
- Volunteers are wired with an MRI brain scanner while watching video images to analyze brain activity.
- Impulses from the brain’s visual cortex are then fed into the computer to interpret colors, shapes, and movements on screen.
- Now, the volunteer is made to watch different video and computer produces images based purely on the volunteers’ brainwaves.
It is how wearing the fNIRS sensor helps in identifying and analyzing the mental state of a user by emitting light signals into the head.
Why Mind Reading Computer? – Applications
Mind reading computers can be beneficial in various fields, and their applications can be further extended over time.
Emergencies
In an emergency stop situation, while driving a car, even the brain exercise hits on an average around 200 ms before the driver become conscious of hitting the brake. Besides, there are no option of automatic braking to prevent such happening.
So, by using this mind-reading technology, the car may identify the mental state of the driver and cautions him to either take a break or not to drive. It could prevent a lot of uncertain accidents that happen all around the world, ensuring higher safety.
Specially Challenged Person
For specially challenged people who cannot even lift their body to move, and they are entirely on rest; University of Communications in Japan have developed a mind-reading wheelchair. This wheelchair could interpret and understand the mental state of the person sitting on it.
For example, a handicap thinking in his mind to move left, right, forward, or back, the wheelchair by analyzing brainwaves follows the command and start moving actually. It is the perfect application of the mind reading computer.
Extreme Medical Conditions
The University of Western Ontario, Canada, has been researching and developing a mind reading computer to communicate with coma patients. They have done this by using neuroimaging to read human thoughts via brain activity. It can be individually analyzed when the patient is conveying yes or no.
Advantages
- Help in reading the minds of a paralytic, coma, and other extreme patients.
- It can help handicap people in many ways.
- Also, it can be helpful in military force and highly sensitive operations.
- Mind reading can also work in gaming consoles, robotics, and AI technology.
- To identify the mental state of suspects in case of any crime.
- Can be helpful for mute people in conveying their thoughts
Disadvantages
- Can lead to a dangerous situation by extracting confidential information from a mind
- Besides, it may also lead to a breach of privacy
- If in-hand of criminals may lead to eavesdropping situation further can lead to more disasters.
- There are no control on human thoughts, and no way to neutralize them, thus, leaking of information may not stop.
Conclusion
Mind reading computer is the evolution of technology to help society in many ways. Though, at the same time, technology can be a sinister for humanity too, if put in wrong hands. The technology has impeccable working that is worthful in many fields of areas such as education, medical, government, etc.
Mind reading is not illegal but it can both be useful and dangerous at the same time. Besides, after the complete development of this technology, it should be used under several circumstances subsequent to the official authorities.
