Monkeys Are Finally Writing Shakespeare, Thanks To A New Brain-Computer Interface

You don’t need an infinite number of monkeys to type out the complete works of William Shakespeare.

What you need, according to a team of researchers from Stanford University, is one monkey equipped with a brain implant that allows it to interface with a computer.

In a new experiment described in the journal IEEE, researchers were able to use a brain-computer interface (BCI) to enable thought-controlled typing at a rate of up to 12 words a minute — the highest brain-based typing rate ever achieved. In the experiment conducted on two rhesus macaques, the animals were able to transcribe passages from Hamlet and the New York Times.

You don’t need an infinite number of monkeys to type out the complete works of William Shakespeare.

What you need, according to a team of researchers from Stanford University, is one monkey equipped with a brain implant that allows it to interface with a computer.

In a new experiment described in the journal IEEE, researchers were able to use a brain-computer interface (BCI) to enable thought-controlled typing at a rate of up to 12 words a minute — the highest brain-based typing rate ever achieved. In the experiment conducted on two rhesus macaques, the animals were able to transcribe passages from Hamlet and the New York Times.

You don’t need an infinite number of monkeys to type out the complete works of William Shakespeare.

What you need, according to a team of researchers from Stanford University, is one monkey equipped with a brain implant that allows it to interface with a computer.

In a new experiment described in the journal IEEE, researchers were able to use a brain-computer interface (BCI) to enable thought-controlled typing at a rate of up to 12 words a minute — the highest brain-based typing rate ever achieved. In the experiment conducted on two rhesus macaques, the animals were able to transcribe passages from Hamlet and the New York Times.

When it comes to humans, this technology can be paired with an auto-completion technology used by smartphones or tablets in order to drastically improve typing speeds. On the flip side, however, the typing speeds of humans using the technology is likely to be slowed down by the fact that they need to actually think about what they want to communicate and how to spell words.

“What we cannot quantify is the cognitive load of figuring out what words you are trying to say,” Nuyujukian said.

Speeding up brain networks might boost IQ

Back in 2009 a team of dutch scientists were analyzing the brain. They found that for all the denseness of the


brain doesn't really matter. It does just not as much as they originally thought. Its really about the efficiency of the wired brain. They found that the most intelligent people have the fastest connections not the most

Thus suggests that you may be able to increase your brain performance or boost your intelligence  via drugs. It also suggests that by speeding up ANN's (Artificial Neural Networks) may boost the intelligence of the system

In 2011 There were some studies done by Air Force researchers. They found that they could cut training time in half for air force pilots by delivering a mild electrical current (two milliamperes of direct current for 30 minutes).You can read the full article here

There are already a number of consumer products being created to try and take advantage of this discovery and its starting to hit the mainstream. Wired did an article on it "Inside the Strange New World of DIY Brain Stimulation". As well self described biohackers like Tim Ferriss and Dave Asprey are touting the positive effects it has had on them.

Foc.us has released several product geared for gamers. And Fisher Wallace has release a slightly different product to help people treat insomnia

You can check out foc.us here

So I decided to buy one a year ago and test it on myself. I got a cheaper tDCS ApeX Type A from Amazon. It worked great just like I expected. Being a connoisseur of nootropics(aka smart drugs) I usually run a battery of tests on myself to see if they are actually doing anything like the dual and back test. I did notice some improvement in working memory. I am still using it once a week to this day. I do believe I am gaining a benefit from it.

Primordial Gravitational Waves: The future of probing the past

Launched back on May 14,2009 the European Space Agency's Planck satellite will
enable us to find out what happened just fractions of a second after the big bang by examining the cosmic
microwave background in exquisite detail.

Now 5 years later they are getting closer than ever to finally getting some answers. They recently released an announcement saying they have just found some signs of primordial gravitational waves.

A ways back Einstein theorized that gravitational waves  were a kind of ripple in space-timeand did in fact exist.

Scientists were using Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarisation (BICEP2 for short) at an  experiment at the South Pole and may have found footprints these waves.

What might this mean in lamens terms?

Studying the Universe with gravitational waves can bring about a wealth of new data. Produced mostly by catastrophic events like collisions of black holes, these waves are completely different in their nature from electromagnetic radiation. It is like adding sound to our image of the Universe.
 

voice control for your home for time and money savings

Being hands free and well be freeing. I've been experimenting with an older version of dragon naturally speaking for the last couple of years. I started using it for just commanding my  pc but quickly started messing around with it for my AI robotics projects, syncing it up with various devices attached to my house like our lighting, heating, water, window systems and my cell phone. I have found great time savings in using these technologies.

Advantages of using a voice control system for your house

When i walk into my house i don't have to turn on 3-5 light switch's. When i leave my house my kids are running around over 3 floors and its time consuming to have to go back checking every light to make sure they are all off. Its easier just to speak into your cell phone "shut it all down" and your good to go. When you are doing something in a room for a long period of time you can save electricity by telling your system to shut everything else off. Many appliances get left on especially if you area busy person or have kids running all over your house like I do. You can hook up your water sprinkler  systems to this also but it really isn't necessary if you get a cheap 5$ timer from your local hardware store.

What i found is a way to hook all this up with some free software online. You will of course need to get the right devices to control each. Afterwards you will have to sync them up with your controller of choice(desktop computer, cell phone, tablet etc) and do some adjustments with voice control software. But it is very doable even for the non-techie.It you really want to go all out you could hook up mics in each room or wear a bluetooth or headset around the house

Software
Epeaking software is the free one I was talking about. Its biggest benefit is that's its free. The downside is that you will have to do a little more tinkering with it.
http://www.e-speaking.com/free_pc_voice_control.htm

The best software that's the easiest to use that I started with was Dragon NaturallySpeaking Home 12.0, English. It runs about 50$

mics/controller

There are lots of reasonably priced mics for under 100$ that will suit your needs.Make sure they are omni-directional which means they will pick up sound from the entire area around the mic and not just directly in front of it.

Are We Still the Same Person After a Consciousness Upload?

How Realistic is This?

Ok, this one is a bit of a leap. We’re nowhere near uploading our entire minds into a computer, depending on who you ask. But there are definitely some folks working on figuring out how to do it. Earlier this year, famous futurist (and director of engineering at Google) Ray Kurzweil said a conservative estimate would have us uploading our brains into a computer by 2045. And, hey, if Google says it will happen there’s no reason to think it’s not possible. Though, in the same speech he also said the singularity would be upon us by 2100. So, grain of salt. Others argue uploading our brains may actually never be possible at all.

The Ethical Conundrum

You’re going to have to decide how much you like your body and want to hang on to it. Once you upload your consciousness there’s very likely no going back. You also have no idea what to expect from living inside a computer, which means you’ll have to accept the fact that your very idea of consciousness might change once you’ve become fully digital. If your friends and family aren’t uploading themselves you’ll also have to decide if you’re willing to give up your current way of interacting with them. Or accept the fact that you may never see them again. But if the singularity has already happened, then you’ll get the added benefit of being smarter, faster, and better than a human.

What the Ethicists Say

There isn’t a whole lot of legitimate writing on the ethics of uploading the brain. But those considering it often point to The Ship of Theseus, or Theseus’s Paradox, which goes something like this (excerpt from Logical Paradoxes):

Theseus is remembered in Greek mythology as the slayer of the Minotaur. For years, the Athenians had been sending sacrifices to be given to the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull beast who inhabited the labyrinth of Knossos. One year, Theseus braved the labyrinth, and killed the Minotaur.

The ship in which he returned was long preserved. As parts of the ship needed repair, it was rebuilt plank by plank. Suppose that, eventually, every plank was replaced; would it still have been the same ship? A strong case can be made for saying that it would have been: When the first plank was replaced, the ship would still have been Theseus’ ship. When the second was replaced, the ship would still have been Theseus’ ship. Changing a single plank can never turn one ship into another. Even when every plank had been replaced, then, and no part of the original ship remained, it would still have been Theseus’ ship.

Suppose, though, that each of the planks removed from Theseus’ ship was restored, and that these planks were then recombined to once again form a ship. Would this have been Theseus’ ship? Again, a strong case can be made for saying that it would have been: this ship would have had precisely the same parts as Theseus’ ship, arranged in precisely the same way.

If this happened, then it would seem that Theseus had returned from Knossos in two ships. First, there would have been Theseus’ ship that has had each of its parts replaced one by one. Second, there would have been Theseus’ ship that had been dismantled, restored, and then reassembled. Each of them would have been Theseus’ ship.

Theseus, though, sailed in only one ship. Which one?

In other words, if we upload our consciousness into a computer, removing our physical brain and body from the equation entirely, are we still human? At this point you have to ask, what makes us human? Another nearly impossible question to answer -- though some argue it’s our intelligence and creativity. According to The American Museum of Natural History, our brains play the biggest role:

All species on Earth, including humans, are unique. Yet our intelligence and creativity go well beyond those of any other animal. Humans have long communicated through language, created and appreciated art and music, and invented complex tools that have enabled our species to survive and thrive, though often at the expense of other species.

We owe our creative success to the human brain and its capacity to think symbolically. While some other species can solve problems and communicate with each other, only humans use symbols to re-create the world mentally and dream up endless new realities. Although humans have not lost their selfish motivations, symbolic thought has opened our minds to spirituality and a shared sense of empathy and morality.

Will we still be capable of these things once we’re inside the machine? And do we care? Maybe by the time we upload ourselves being human don't be so important anymore. It will be time to evolve beyond that.

So what say you? Should we leave our fragile bodies behind and embark on a brave new world of consciousness inside the computer? Or will uploading our minds make us lose everything that makes us human? Discuss!

Benefits of Nicotine for Improved Performance

Most people think that the main negative impact of cigarette smoking is from nicotine but that's pretty
misleading. There are 1000's of chemicals that are far stonger and more dangerous than nicotine. In fact there many studies that have been done that showing there can be benefits when using small amounts of nicotine.

There are several studies done that show Nicotine has quickened the response time and helped concentration in rats and humans alike. An article in Cosmos magazine links to several studies that show it has shown to help reduce symptoms of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and dementia sufferers as well.

The Study titled "Effect of nicotine on brain activation during performance of a working memory task" (find article here)full showed that 4mg of nicotine gum or two pieces of polacrilex gum to chew for 15 min at a rate of one chew every 3 sec which is the same as the average American cigarette improved small improvements in finger-tapping rate, motor response on tests of focused and sustained attention, and recognition memory.

If you've decided to try it out the biggest health risk that I could find any information on showed that you need to be concerned with long term use and of course addiction if you overuse it. There is one study that blamed long-term use of nicotine gum leads to insulin resistance, metabolic abnormalities associated with the insulin resistance syndrome, and increased cardiovascular morbidity. Thus, the use of nicotine replacement therapy during smoking cessation should be transient and limited.You can see the study here.

Just make sure you don't use it regularly. To a large extent people frankly eat shit all day long and don't eat a healthy diet. The increase in cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance can pretty much be reduced with a low inflammation diet  and a healthy lifestyle. A great little site "The Conscious Mind" I found the other day has tons of free information on it.

 Also one more caveat. If you are new to using this and don't smoke then start small. Use 2mg at first or even half a piece and use for about 10-15 mins. If you use the full 4mg like I did it'll likely be too much or for too long then you'll probably experience light-headedness or dizziness and some nervousness.

If you have decided to give it a shot there is a great deal at amazon right now on equate for 20 pieces 4mg mint flavored nicotine gum.You can find it below

New Poll Shows People Favor Transhumanism

In case you were wondering if people favor transhumanism a new poll on the Nationstates political forum from May 2013 shows people favor transhumanism.by a wide margin.

The results of that poll are below

I'm all for it                                  106                         57%
Needs to be controlled                  64                         35%
Should be banned                          15                          8%

Forum thread for Nationstates here


Another similar poll from the Escapist.com forum in 2010 shows people favor transhumanism also
72.3% Yes
25.5% No

Forum thread for The Escapist here


Where do you stand?

               

How do I know this isn't a mind control device?

I have seen a few forum strings with people discussing concerns about brain computer interfaces. Mainly
people asking if they are safe. will extended use cause any side effects or even if they are mind control devices or if someone can read your mind with them.

Any time radically new technology is introduced  there are concerns about its safety like cell phones causing brain tumors. Its impossible to tell any long term side effects but there are many people that have been using them for decades without any health issues related to eeg use. sometimes when using mine for hours i have experienced a sore scalp due to the eeg sensors rubbing against my scalp caused design issues but nothing related to reduced cognitive ability or headaches.

I found a good FAQ page for the muse by interaxon you can find here. They even address concerns about it stealing your mind ;-)

Carbon Copies

I recently found a site devoted solely towards research as substrate independent minds or mind uploading or whole brain emulation. A little similar to the 2045 project.

Carboncopies.org is a nonprofit organisation with a goal of advancing the reverse engineering of neural tissue and complete brains and to reproduce the functions thereof, creating what we call Substrate-Independent Minds (SIM).

Here is a video presentation of Randall Koene of the Carbon Copies Project

Interview with Ramez Naam on his new book

Brain tech, telepathic drugs, and ass-kicking Buddhists: a fascinating talk with Ramez Naam about his new transhuman science fiction novel "Nexus". 

Testimonials

Wired says “Good. Scary good… stop reading now and have a great time reading a bleeding edge technical thriller that is full of surprises.”  

Cory Doctorow at BoingBoing says “Nexus is a superbly plotted high tension technothriller… full of delicious moral ambiguity… a hell of a read.”  

The Wall Street Journal says “Provocative… a double-edged vision of the post-human.” 

Ars Technica says “Nexus is a lightning bolt of a novel… with a sense of awe missing from a lot of current fiction.”

Booklist says “Starred Review. Naam turns in a stellar performance with his debut SF novel… What matters here is the remarkable scope of the story and its narrative power.” 

Publisher’s Weekly says “Mesmerizing”.

SFX Magazine says “Naam displays a Michael Crichton-like ability to explain cutting-edge research via the medium of an airport techno-thriller.”

Ben Goertzel at HPlus Magazine says “speculative yet impressively plausible… Nexus, as well as being a fun read, has something to contribute to the dialogue that humanity is now having with itself” 

WTF Are You Reading? says “the perfect blend of “The Matrix” and “War Games”… I would recommend this book to  anyone who has ever sat in from of the glow of their computer screen and wondered “what if”…”

Katherine McCarthy at the IEET says “If it isn’t the cinematic handling of some very futuristic images or the curious immersion of cybernetic pondering into the narrative flow; Ramez Naam’s Nexus will impress a reader” 

PageOfReviews says “Nexus is a fascinating study into how technology might inform human evolution. At times it is also a scathing commentary on the United States’ “War on Drugs” and “War on Terror”.” 

Timothy Ward says “Ramez writes excellent action sequences, incorporating his technology well, and the lives at stake are more than just cardboard cutouts. No one in this story is “as meets the eye,’” 

Trevor Hogg at Flickering Myth says ““Naam has a visual style with his words which leads to one experiencing cinematic scenes rather than being swamped with textbook exposition.” 

Bookworm Dreams says “Five Stars. Nexus by Ramez Naam reminds me of my favorite science fiction authors: Cory Doctorowwith dystopia/government conspiracy theme, Michael Crichton with unexpected twists and action/adventure, Arthur C. Clarke because everything Ramez Naam described has a scientific background.” 

http://rameznaam.com/

Ridiculous Argument Against the 2045 Project

i just wanted people to know of the ignorant view points of those that are against teh 2045 project which I
am invested in. This article goes on to compare iphones to an immorality vessel as another piece of disposable consumer technology.

Ive asked myself many times why anyone wouldnt want to live as long as possible. There are many reasons but one could debate but because it would create an environmental hazard is a very poor arguent. If you have time read this article and knock some sense into its writer.

Its people like this that are spreading seeds of doubt that need to be educated.
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Immortality through robotics ignores concerns about environment, economic privilege, humanity

Stories of cyborgs like Darth Vader have always been limited to the realm of science fiction, but that might change. The 2045 Initiative, a group of like-minded scientists and intellectuals, has formulated a four-step plan that predicts that humans will be able to live in artificial bodies, or avatars, by the year 2045.

Science fiction has made a sudden jump into reality, and the supporters of the 2045 Initiative and its founder Dmitry Itskov are fully confident in the value of this transition. The Initiative’s website comes equipped with a comprehensive timeline as well as an international manifesto. This manifesto makes many bold statements, including the group’s idea that “it is possible and necessary to eliminate aging and even death” through scientific progress.

The 2045 Initiative expresses the idea that the very ideology of human beings needs to change, and that we need to take control of our own evolution. This brings up the question, what is wrong with an ideology that is unconcerned with artificial intelligence and immortality? The group’s appeal for many seems to be in its desire to create a sturdier body for human beings, but would this type of body appeal to people who don’t see any merit in living forever?

There are plenty of other problems with the 2045 Initiative aside from its foundation in the desire for immortality. Although the program claims that its avatar machines will eventually cost about as much as a car, the affordability of this program is debatable. There are plenty of people on this planet who cannot afford a car, let alone something more expensive. Will these artificial bodies become a privilege for the rich and entitled?

It is mentioned several times that the progress made by this initiative will help in the medical field, especially with disabilities and missing limbs. Perhaps such progress will eventually be beneficial, but in its initial stages I find it highly unlikely that a financially-restricted person could afford such a treatment. It seems that these artificial shells may just be another way for people with more money to show off their status, especially considering that Itskov himself is a billionaire.

Those spearheading the project seem to believe that the best thing we can do with our technology is to create bodies that rid ourselves of our physical limitations. The international manifesto states that “iPhones and Segways cannot save mankind from the limitations in the physical abilities of our bodies,” and goes on to say that commercial technology is not the best use of our time.

I can agree with this statement, but immortal bodies for humans seems like just as much of a distraction from necessity as the newest model of smartphone. What use will artificial bodies have if our planet is destroyed by pollution because we weren’t researching new ways to fuel our lives? Scientific efforts should be focused on curing and preventing disease rather than preparing for our eventual decay. Immortality is a convenient distraction from the immediate problems that need addressing. We’ve been living mortal lives for a while now, I think we can do it for a while longer.

On a more romantic note, many people agree that there is unique feeling that goes along with being human. We have a connection to the world through our senses that cannot be imitated by any artificial being. Why are we so ready to discard our physically-limited human bodies?

The 2045 Initiative claims the bodies it plans on creating “will achieve perfection of form and be no less attractive than the human body.” If we are so unattached to our weak human forms, why would we care if our new bodies looked the same? There is no guarantee that the smell of flowers will be as special if we’re not smelling it with our own nose. Without a limit on our lifespans, would we appreciate the things that surround us in the same way, or would everything just blur together after a while?

When the cyborg movement hits the public arena, don’t look for me anywhere nearby. I have read enough science fiction novels to know that these sorts of projects don’t usually go very well. Some may see it as harmless, but I don’t plan on joining the 2045 Initiative, despite the ominous “join us” at the top of their homepage.

You can leave comments here

Nietzsche:

“Man is a rope stretched between the beasts and the Superman — a rope over an abyss. A dangerous crossing, a dangerous wayfaring, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous trembling and halting. What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal.”

Quote

Human is a step in evolution, not the culmination.

 -Sarte. Danaylov 

Samsung Demos a Tablet Controlled by Your Brain

Thought launch: A Samsung researcher
tests an EEG-controlled app on a tablet.

The number of ways to interact with your mobile devices.

One day, we may be able to check e-mail or call a friend without ever touching a screen or even speaking to a disembodied helper. Samsung is researching how to bring mind control to its mobile devices with the hope of developing ways for people with mobility impairments to connect to the world. The ultimate goal of the project, say researchers in the company’s Emerging Technology Lab, is to broaden the ways in which all people can interact with devices.

In collaboration with Roozbeh Jafari, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Texas, Dallas, Samsung researchers are testing how people can use their thoughts to launch an application, select a contact, select a song from a playlist, or power up or down a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. While Samsung has no immediate plans to offer a brain-controlled phone, the early-stage research, which involves a cap studded with EEG-monitoring electrodes, shows how a brain-computer interface could help people with mobility issues complete tasks that would otherwise be impossible. 

Brain-computer interfaces that monitor brainwaves through EEG have already made their way to the market. NeuroSky’s headset uses EEG readings as well as electromyography to pick up signals about a person’s level of concentration to control toys and games (see “Next-Generation Toys Read Brain Waves, May Help Kids Focus”). Emotiv Systems sells a headset that reads EEG and facial expression to enhance the experience of gaming (see “Mind-Reading Game Controller”).

To use EEG-detected brain signals to control a smartphone, the Samsung and UT Dallas researchers monitored well-known brain activity patterns that occur when people are shown repetitive visual patterns. In their demonstration, the researchers found that people could launch an application and make selections within it by concentrating on an icon that was blinking at a distinctive frequency.

Robert Jacob, a human-computer interaction researcher at Tufts University, says the project fits into a broader effort by researchers to find more ways for communicating with small devices like smartphones. “This is one of the ways to expand the type of input you can have and still stick the phone in the pocket,” he says.

Finding new ways to interact with mobile devices has driven the project, says Insoo Kim, Samsung’s lead researcher. “Several years ago, a small keypad was the only input modality to control the phone, but nowadays the user can use voice, touch, gesture, and eye movement to control and interact with mobile devices,” says Kim. “Adding more input modalities will provide us with more convenient and richer ways of interacting with mobile devices.”

Still, it will take considerable research for a brain-computer interface to become a new way of interacting with smartphones, says Kim. The initial focus for the team was to develop signal processing methods that could extract the right information to control a device from weak and noisy EEG signals, and to get those methods to work on a mobile device.

Jafari’s research is addressing another challenge—developing more convenient EEG sensors. Classic EEG systems have gel or wet contact electrodes, which means a bit of liquid material has to come between a person’s scalp and the sensor. “Depending on how many electrodes you have, this can take up to 45 minutes to set up, and the system is uncomfortable,” says Jafari. His sensors, however, do not require a liquid bridge and take about 10 seconds to set up, he says. But they still require the user to wear a cap covered with wires.

The concept of a dry EEG is not new, and it can carry the drawback of lower signal quality, but Jafari says his group is improving the system’s processing of brain signals. Ultimately, if reliable EEG contacts were convenient to use and slimmed down, a brain-controlled device could look like “a cap that people wear all day long,” says Jafari.

Kim says the speed with which a user of the EEG-control system can control the tablet depends on the user. In the team’s limited experiments, users could, on average, make a selection once every five seconds with an accuracy ranging from 80 to 95 percent.

“It is nearly impossible to accurately predict what the future might bring,” says Kim, “but given the broad support for initiatives such as the U.S. BRAIN initiative, improvements in man-machine interfaces seem inevitable” (see “Interview with BRAIN Project Pioneer: Miyoung Chun”).

Could Brain Computer Interfaces be used to Hack our Mind?

Consumer grade EEG-scanners used in mind-controlled games can be turned against their user to extract private information, research shows.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are gaining popularity as prices drop and the technology develops. The gaming industry, always ahead of the curve when it comes to innovative interfaces, already embraces the devices as game-controllers. The multiplayer online game Throw Trucks With Your Mind measures brain activity with an affordable EEG-headset to integrate parameters like focus and calm into the game. 

But hooking up your brain to a computer linked to the internet –although extremely fascinating- unfortunately also has its disadvantages. A team of researchers from  the University of Oxford, UC Berkeley and the University of Geneva are the first to examine the security risks involved in using such technology. From a series of experiments they concluded it is possible to collect private and secret information from unsuspecting users. Their findings were published in the paper On the Feasibility of Side-Channel Attacks with Brain-Computer Interfaces (link below).

In order to recreate a realistic test environment the researchers used the EPOC neuroheadset made available to the consumer market by the company Emotiv Systems. The EPOC, like most BCIs, uses EEG (electroencephalography) to measure brain wave patterns by recording the electrical fields produced by neuron activity.

For their research the team made use of a phenomenon that shows up on EEG read-outs called event-related-potential (ERP). An ERP is a change in the voltage pattern a short time-interval after the subject is presented with a certain stimulus. For instance, when a person is shown a series of pictures of people she doesn’t know the EEG-signal stays fairly constant but when a familiar face flashes by there is an amplitude peak 300 milliseconds after the event.

In theory ERPs can reveal secret knowledge of the user to an attacker who is in the position to ask the right questions. To test the hypothesis the team set up an experiment where 30 students were asked to wear the EPOC while watching a computer screen. In one test they were asked which month they were born and then names of the months were randomly shown on the screenIn another test designed to filch the PIN code of the subjects no questions were asked but numbers were randomly presented to them.

The results of the tests varied. The success rate of data extraction was measured against a random guess attack. Attacks using the EEG data were 10 to 40 percent more successful than random guesses. That may seem modest but BCI technology is still in the early stages of its development cycle and is expected to improve significantly.

The experimental set-up the researchers used in which they were in the position to pose questions to the users can also be found in the wild. Companies selling neuroheadsets like Emotiv and its competitor Neurosky allow third parties to develop applications for their products. That is understandable since the EPOC wouldn’t be much fun if there weren’t games available to use it on. But developers have full access to the EEG data and the applications have complete control over the stimuli presented to the user. Both conditions are necessary to develop applications like Throw Trucks With Your Mind. But in the hands of a malicious developer it could lead to dark scenario’s.

Ryan Calo, an academic who combines his law degree with an expertise in emerging technologies,advises brain app stores should be heavily curated to prevent brain spyware from being released. He also points out that the technology might be to good for overzealous law enforcements agencies to resist. He gives the example of an Amber alert in which the picture of a missing child is distributed online. BCI wearing gamers could find themselves on the suspects list based merely on their brain response.

On the Feasibility of Side-Channel Attacks with Brain-Computer Interfaces  (link to PDF at the bottom of that page).

Images: Drawing:  Mynameiskavi, ERP graph:  Neurofeedback.visaduma.info

ARTICLE BY  TESSEL RENZENBRINK FOR TECHTHEFUTURE.COM

How AI and Virtual Sex May Be a Driver of the Coming Singularity

The sex industry has always been a big one. Its well over the billion dollar mark. It will likely evolve along
with technology as it evolves.


Internet and Porn Industry

Societal and technological changes have set the commercial sex industry on a trajectory to become more conventional and normalized. Below are five trend clusters shaping the future of the commercial sex industry:

1. The commercial sex industry will expand the definition of sex. Augmented reality coupled with advances in robotics will allow sex add-ons to supplement traditional offerings. Future of Sex editor Meg White points to three emerging areas of commercial sex including virtual sex worlds, remote sex and robot sex. For instance, online sex workers increasingly will link their movements to remote sex toys or even robotic look-alikes. In effect, these new areas may reduce the risks associated with sex workplace violence and STIs, modernizing the online sex marketplace globally.

On the other hand, artificial intelligence capabilities may add heightened levels of social interactions with non-human machines. As our non-sexual needs are increasingly fulfilled by robots, avatars or digital communities, our sexual needs may follow along. Further, distinctions between virtual and real interactions will blur in the future. The accessibility of technology will create a greater demand for sex-based products and services. “Sex-ond” lives will redefine what it means to be in a relationship, have sex, and be in love. Couples will seriously discuss whether sex with robots constitutes cheating; and policy makers will debate what rights exist for sex workers in online communities.

2. Tech innovations will raise the intimacy level of commercial sex. Passive sex industry consumption will be replaced by greater sex intimacy in the future. Successful sex workers from prostitution, pornography and adult entertainment will integrate technology into their workplaces in order to differentiate themselves. An actress in adult entertainment could create a realistic "girlfriend" add-on experience complete with anniversary gifts and love letters.

A high level of personalization would be achieved by monitoring how a user acts in both sexual and non-sexual spaces throughout the virtual and real world. According to a study conducted by UK researcher Jon Millward, the “girlfriend experience” -- the sense that the client has a personal, ongoing emotional relationship with the sex worker -- ranks above the “porn-star experience” in online escort advertisements and ratings. As technologies advance, sex workers may sell not only traditional sex, but also value-added services such as personal relationships with levels of sociability that transcend machines.

Sex-based technologies already intersect with the dating industry. Long-distance couples use technology to create remote sex lives for themselves. One start-up company appropriately named Pillow Talk simulates the intimate experience of lying in bed with a partner by mimicking a heartbeat in a large pillow. Another tech application known as Pair allows couples to share pictures, messages, videos, sketches, and locations privately. FakeGirlfriend invites male singles seeking female companionship to create a unique “girlfriend.” Men using FakeGirlfriend receive computer-generated text messages to fool others into thinking they are in a serious relationship.

Innovations such as these will create new types of commercial sex intimacy that use technology, yet are still personal and customized. Sex workers will borrow from relationship innovations to enhance their own client interactions. For instance, sex workers may offer their regulars a paid personalized video or text service option in addition to a monthly romp. These personalized tech-driven services will make consumers believe they are engaged in actual relationships rather than economic transactions with sex workers.

3. Commercial sex will converge with pop-tech. Currently, the commercial sex sector is repurposing pop-tech (mainstream tech ideas) to make it sex-specific. Innovators within commercial sex are connecting current platforms to sex in everyday life. For instance, Offbeatr is a crowd-funding platform akin to Kickstarter, a funding company for adult projects. Snatchly, recently launched, is the adult pornographic version of Pinterest, a virtual pin board that allows for the social sharing of content. Both ideas evolved because mainstream platforms currently reject adult content. Popular technology will adapt to accommodate commercial sex needs that are not currently being met.

In the future, the line between mainstream and underground sex work will blur to the point of non-existence. Personalization technologies, artificial intelligence and privacy settings will make it easier for users to apply pop-tech platforms to meet their sexual needs. In fact, mainstream pop-tech will partner with sex- based services in order to create alternative revenue streams. Ratable and shareable online content available through popular technology will allow users to customize their own sex-based content. Individuals will get increasingly enhanced user experiences and personal security. At the same time, they will be able to see and store all of their favorite NSFW material on one platform that's accessible from anywhere.

4. Sex work will be dependent on region. Even though technology has created digital bridges across the globe, sex-based services will continue to be different in the developed and developing regions of the world. In developed nations, technology will move sex work off the streets and into entrepreneurial ventures. This change will provide a safer and more stable work environment for sex workers, who will be empowered by technology to take ownership of their careers by using collaborative networks and online promotion for personal marketing. Sex workers will use tools to position themselves as businesswomen. They'll be able to personally connect with potential clientele in a specific niche, instead of relying on a third party. By cutting pimps out of the loop, the sex workers will make more money -- and increase their own freedom and safety as well.

Conversely, in developing regions such as Southeast Asia, men will continue to travel abroad to leave traditional Western “female empowerment” behind. The inequities between the developed and developing world that fuel the dark side of global sex tourism are unlikely to change any time soon. According to the Commission on AIDS in Asia, men who buy sex are driving Asia’s HIV epidemic. As a result, Asia stands to be the first region in the world in which governments will get serious about regulating working conditions for sex workers; and international organizations will make AIDS and STI prevention in developing regions such as Asia a priority.

5. Mainstream organizations will realize the economic value of commercial sex. Mainstream brands, governments and investment firms are aligning with commercial sex to not only attract consumer attention, but also to raise revenue. In 2011, PETA announced plans to launch an .xxx site to promote vegetarianism. In the past, the organization commissioned porn stars to film racy advertising segments about “Veggie Love." Actresses were filmed engaging in naughty behavior with an assortment of veggies from celery to beets. Though the short was banned from the Super Bowl, the campaign went viral online.

Recently, Sony Entertainment partnered with Playboy’s Cybergirl Jo Garcia to launch its new PlayStation Vita, which is a handheld gaming device that can be used in conjunction with a PlayStation 3. Sex-specific investment firms like Ackrell Capital will continue to attract investors who want to reap the financial rewards associated with the commercial sex industry.

The International Labor Organization reports that the sex industry accounts for 2% to 14% of economic activity in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. It also estimates commercial sex is worth 4.4% of Korean GDP -- which is more than forestry, fishing and agriculture combined. In the early 1990s, tax revenues from phone sex calls in San Tome increased so significantly that the government was able to construct a new telecommunications system with the funds. In addition, private and public organizations of all types will openly support or engage with the commercial sex industry to increase revenue and gain attention.

In the future, the public face of the commercial sex industry will change dramatically. The traditional definition of sex will be redefined by not only technological innovation that expands the ability to create intimacy online, but also by popular technology platforms that will help users meet their sexual needs. Sex work will be dependent on region with developed nations accepting sex work into the mainstream, while developing nations will continue to accommodate the darker side of the industry. Mainstream organizations will seek economic growth through commercial sex affiliations and governments will realize more tax revenue from these pursuits.

With or without mainstream support, the commercial sex industry will move ahead as an established and essential industry because of these technological and societal trends. As a result, sex work is already beginning to move out of the back alleys and onto Main Street. Views towards sex, specifically toward the sex industry, will be debated instead of ignored, stigmatized or generalized by the global masses. The implications of commercial sex will be considered alongside the complex web of faces and experiences associated with sex work.

Technology won’t replace sex workers; but it looks like it's leading to the creation of a new industry that augments our current experiences with sex, and could eventually take us to new and fantastic places where no human has gone before.

Foreword by J5un and article by Emily Empel (@localrat) is a trend spotter, marketing disciple and futurist.

When Wheelchairs Become Obsolete-Thought Controlled Exoskeleton Availble By 2015?

At the world cup of soccer summer of 2014 Neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis expects to unveil to

the world his thought controlled robotic exoskeleton. Back in 2011 he went on The Daily Show and told Jon Stewart that he would develop a robotic body suit that would allow paralyzed people to walk again simply by thinking about it — and he’d do it in just 3 or 4 years.

Some neuroscientists in the field of Brain computer interfaces think his claim is premature and fear that if it fails it could hurt funding for other BCI projects by promising too much too soon. There is also the issue of safety for the user of the device. 

On the other hand if he does pull it off he would cause a lot of attention to this field and attract tons of research funds or even private money.

If history is an indicator the scientists who promote their inventions the most successfully have enjoyed the most success financially.  compare Tesla vs Edison and you'll get an idea. BCI researchers who fear Nicolelis failing should maybe lend a hand too make sure he succeeds then the whole field in general would benefit.

If you think that he is bonkers then you should consider that right now there have been many successful projects with Brain computer interfaces  that allow paralyzed humans to move a computer cursor or even use a robotic arm to pick up a piece of chocolate or touch a loved one for the first time in years. In another recent example In December, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh published a case study in The Lancet of a 53-year-old woman named Jan Scheuermann who was paralyzed from the neck down by a genetic neurodegenerative condition. Scheuermann learned to control a nearby robotic arm after surgeons implanted a small grid of electrodes in her brain.

A recent video on 60 minutes show here moving the arm in 3 dimensions and uses it to grasp and move objects, stacking several plastic cones. It cost DARPA more than $100 million to develop, and its hand and fingers can do almost everything the real deal can. Scheuermann’s movements are slow and sometimes faltering, but they are astonishing nonetheless. After all, she’s controlling the arm just by thinking about it. And she’s making the most sophisticated movements yet made by a human being with a brain-controlled prosthetic.

Recently this year in an interview with a wired magazine reporter he stated that "“We’re getting close to making wheelchairs obsolete,” 

Nicoleius speculated that the next big leap in BCI performance will come from 2 kinds of advances:

1)Being able to gather information from a larger number of neurons. The researchers at Duke currently have the highest amount at around 500 neurons. With great numbers of neurons being read they can acheive greater fluidity of movements.

2)incorporating tactile feedback.In 2011, his team broke new ground by demonstrating a neural prosthesis with an artificial sense of touch in monkeys. Electrodes implanted in a brain region responsible for the feeling texture enabled the monkeys to identify different virtual objects by “feel.”

Sensors on the exoskeleton will eventually feed directly into the brain in a similar manner to provide crucial feedback on the position of the limbs and when the feet hit the ground, Nicolelis says. “None of these robotic devices will work for real without tactile feedback,” he said. “You can’t walk without knowing where the floor is.“ The extent to which sensory feedback will be ready for the World Cup demo remains to be seen.

Nicolelis’ team is currently training the two monkeys to sit in the harness and let their legs go limp so the exoskeleton can do its thing. A few months from now the whole system will be subjected to a sterner test: Researchers will temporarily paralyze the legs of a monkey with an injection, and the primate will then try to transfer what it’s learned from playing with the avatar to control the exoskeleton with its thoughts. If it goes according to plan, the monkey will walk on the treadmill.

Gordon Cheng, the roboticist who is developing the physical exoskeleton at the Technical University of

Munich in Germany admits that the deadline is tight. “We have bits and pieces of different prototypes being built and tested, we even have a complete mockup built,” he said. “We’re pushing it.”

By design, the exoskeleton will use a mix of signals. “If the signal from the brain is very good, the brain will take control. If the signal from the brain is not so reliable, the robot can take over more of the control,” Cheng said. “This is mainly to guarantee safety.”

Nicolelis says his colleagues in Brazil are currently combing a database of thousands of patients to identify 10 for initial training. Their ideal profile: a smallish young adult, no more than 70 kilograms (roughly 150 pounds), whose injury isn’t too new or too old. Like the monkeys in the lab at Duke, the trainees will start by learning to control an avatar on a computer screen, but with brain signals recorded by non-invasive EEG electrodes to start. Then, if the plan stays on track, one brave recipient will go under the knife to receive electrode implants in his or her motor cortex.

Article by Dave Drinkwalter for Emerging Tech Trends for Transhumanism

Based on article form wired magazine