The internet has made it easy for groups to collaborate from pretty much anywhere, but this experimental brain-to-brain "social network" could be the beginning of a whole new ballgame. The new system, dubbed BrainNet, was tested by wiring three test subjects up to machines that let them send messages to each other using just their brainwaves. Our brains have been communicating with each other for as long as they've existed. One brain can send signals to the fingers to write a letter, for example, which can then be posted so another brain can absorb the message through the eyes. But with the advent of experimental technology enabling direct brain-to-brain communication, things are starting to enter the realm of science fiction. Using these systems, one brain can modulate its electrical signals to implant messages directly into another brain. Basically, the sender is fitted with an electroencephalogram (EEG), which records electrical activity in the brain through electrodes placed over the head. Those brainwaves are decoded and sent to the recipient, who is equipped with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) gear. This system sends precise magnetic pulses into the brain, which can trigger phantom flashes of light known as phosphenes. In previous brain-to-brain communication tests by researchers at the University of Washington, participants have been able to make a distant person perform a button press by imagining themselves doing it or guide another person through a virtual maze that they had never seen. For the new study the researchers introduced a third person to the mix, and the group was tasked with collaborating to play a Tetris-style game. Two people – the senders – can see a screen with a falling block, which may or may not need to be rotated to fit into a gap at the bottom. The catch is, only the third person can control the block, and they can't see the gap. That means they have to rely on the other players telling them to rotate it or not. All three players are in separate rooms and can only communicate through the BrainNet. To tell the receiver what to do, the senders stare at LEDs on the side of their screen, one flashing at 15 Hz and the other at 17 Hz. The idea here is that looking at these lights causes the person's brainwaves to pulse at that same frequency, and the EEG can pick up on that and interpret a decision – in this case, 15 Hz meant rotate the block and 17 Hz meant don't. If the system picked up the 15 Hz signal, it would transmit to the TMS equipment to send a pulse into the recipient's brain. This would trigger a flash of light, telling them to rotate the block. The senders could see on their screens whether the receiver had rotated the block, and could choose to tell them to rotate it again if need be (or if they didn't get the message the first time). Conducting the experiment with five groups of three people, the researchers found that the system worked fairly well, with an average accuracy of about 80 percent. The team says the system is scalable, potentially to the point of a much larger "social network for brains" – an incredible, if somewhat terrifying, prospect. The research was published online at arXiv. Source: arXiv via MIT Technology Review<doc-sep>(CBS Local) — Tired of texting or calling your family, friends and colleagues? Why not just beam your thoughts directly into their brain. An experimental brain-to-brain “social network” could be the next big thing. The new system, called BrainNet, uses modern brain scanning tools to allow people to essentially communicate telepathically. There have been experiments in direct brain-to-brain communication before. But in a paper posted last week, researchers from the University of Washington detailed a new example of this technology using three people for the first time. BrainNet uses electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors to “read” thoughts in people’s heads and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to transmit simple signals into people’s heads. In the experiment, researchers used groups of three people — two “senders” transmitted answers in a Tetris-style game by staring at flashing LEDs, which made their brains emit particular signals. A third player was able to “receive” their answers and play the game. One of the senders would purposely send the wrong instruction so that the receiver would have to figure out which sender to trust. The researchers believe BrainNet could one day be used to allow groups of people to work together to solve problems. “We found that receivers are able to learn which sender is more reliable based solely on the information transmitted to their brains,” the researchers said. “Our results raise the possibility of future brain-to-brain interfaces that enable cooperative problem solving by humans using a ‘social network’ of connected brains.”<doc-sep>Scientists have got people to communicate to each other ‘brain to brain’ (Getty) Scientists have successfully transmitted thoughts between three people in a sort of ‘social network for brains’. But while the idea sounds nightmarish, it involves no surgery – and could one day help people to share tasks, the researchers believe. Three people connected by brain-scanning EEG caps were able to transmit instructions for a simple Tetris-style game where one player couldn’t see the screen. The University of Washington researchers believe it could (one day) be used to allow groups of people to work together to solve problems. The so-called ‘BrainNet’ uses EEG sensors to ‘read’ thoughts in people’s heads, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to transmit simple signals into people’s heads. MORE: Lorry driver who checked mobile phone for 18 seconds causing death crash is jailed for five years MORE: Man who made ‘step-by-step guide’ for fellow paedophiles is jailed Two players ‘transmitted’ answers in a Tetris-style game, by staring at flashing LEDs, which made their brains emit particular signals. A third player was able to ‘receive’ their answers, and play the game. The researchers said: ‘The interface allows three human subjects to collaborate and solve a task using direct brain-to-brain communication. ‘We found that Receivers are able to learn which Sender is more reliable based solely on the information transmitted to their brains. ‘Our results raise the possibility of future brain-to-brain interfaces that enable cooperative problem solving by humans using a ‘social network’ of connected brains.’<doc-sep>
It sounds like something from a nightmarish sci-fi film – a machine that allows other people to transmit thoughts directly into your head. But someone has actually built it, using electroencephalograms (EEGs) – and predict it could be used to create a ‘social network of brains’. Nobody tell Mark Zuckerberg, OK? Picture MIT While it sounds like a truly chilling idea, the University of Washington researchers believe it could (one day) be used to allow groups of people to work together to solve problems, according to MIT Technology Review. The so-called ‘brain-to-brain’ communication system uses EEG sensors to ‘read’ thoughts in people’s heads, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to transmit thoughts into people’s heads. Capitol riot probe commission blocked from being created by Republicans Two players ‘transmitted’ answers in a Tetris-style game, by staring at flashing LEDs, which made their brains emit particular signals. A third player was able to ‘receive’ their answers, and play the game. The researchers said: ‘The interface allows three human subjects to collaborate and solve a task using direct brain-to-brain communication. Picture MIT ‘We found that Receivers are able to learn which Sender is more reliable based solely on the information transmitted to their brains. ‘Our results raise the possibility of future brain-to-brain interfaces that enable cooperative problem solving by humans using a ‘social network’ of connected brains.’ Could your boss scan your brain at work? Are your thoughts really private? (Getty) It’s something from our darkest science fiction nightmares – the idea that bosses actually scan the emotions of workers using ‘brain caps’. But several Chinese companies are already using the technology to scan when workers are stressed, anxious or sad – and claim it boosts profits. Hangzhou’s State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power told the South China Morning Post that using the technology had improved profits by $300 million in four years. The theory is that by scanning when workers are stressed, bosses can adjust people’s workloads so that the building runs more smoothly. But experts at MIT say the efficiency claims are ‘incredibly doubtful’, as the technology to scan people’s brains via EEG caps is still in its infancy.