Video: Creative minds: painting with brain power My artistic talents have never been great - I once won a prize at primary school for a self portrait, but that may have been more out of sympathy than any merit. So when I heard about a new computer system that enables people to paint by using thought alone, I hoped it would be a new way to tap into the creative part of my mind. The device captures my brain waves to take control of a palette of colours, shapes and brushes to produce digital artworks. A cap with electrodes that touch my scalp pick up the electrical activity in my brain. By detecting changes in my brain's activity as I concentrate on a series of "keys" shown on a screen, the computer can determine which tools I would like to select - much like a standard paint programme found on most PCs. I can also command it to move a cursor around a grid in the same way, allowing me to draw lines and shapes. My attempt to draw a vase of flowers took several hours of intense concentration to produce. When it works, the system is extremely rewarding, if slow. When it misinterprets what I am hoping to do, it can be frustrating. But the researchers hope that by a new device that can be implanted directly into the brain will allow users to take greater control by allowing computers to directly translate a person's thoughts.