Brainternet: A Human Brain Has Just Been Linked To The Internet For The First Time Ever!
The Internet is everywhere - it's all around us and it seems like we're accessing it at all times.
But what if we could connect our own brains to the internet?
This is a theory that has been part of many science fiction stories and movies, and even projects like Elon Musk's Neural Lace and the 2045 Initiative are confident that we will soon be able to upload our brains to the Internet.
Even better, we might be able to download information on to our brains - whether that's a new language, factual data, or anything else.
Now, it seems like we are closer to this goal than ever.
For the first time in history, a research team from South Africa has managed to connect a human brain to the internet in real time!
Welcome to the "Brainternet"
The project from Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa is called "Brainternet" and the study results have been released yesterday in medical express.
By streaming the user's brainwaives onto the internet, it basically turns the human brain into an Internet of Things (IoT) node on the World Wide Web.
Brainternet is a new frontier in brain-computer interface systems. There is a lack of easily understood data about how a human brain works and processes information. Brainternet seeks to simplify a person’s understanding of their own brain and the brains of others. It does this through continuous monitoring of brain activity as well as enabling some interactivity.-Adam Pantanowitz, project supervisor
How does it work?
The researchers have been using an Emotiv Epoc device to pick up electroencephalogram (EEG) brainwave signals.
It's a wireless EEG device and revolutionary Neuroheadset (I'll actually write an exclusive post about this device soon, stay tuned!) which can read the users' brainwaves and display them on a connected computer.
The researchers from Johannesburg then converted the EEG signals in an open source brain livestream.
While the user wears the Emotiv Neuroheadset, the EEG signals are transmitted to a small Raspberry Pi computer, which then transfers the data to an application programming interface in real time.
Then, the data gets displayed on an open website that acts as a portal, and the public could visit the site and observe the user's brain activity in real time.
Future Outlook
Of course, this is only a baby step in the right direction.
Right now, the website connected to the brainwaves only has limited functionality - currently, it works with simple stimuli like arm movements.
But this is only the beginning and there are countless other possibilities for the future.
Supervisor Pantanowitz stated that the team will now focus on more interaction between the user and their brain, so that he can provide a stimulus and see the response in real time.
In the near future, they could even classify recordings through a smartphone app which would provide data for machine learning algorithms.
And there is even the possibility to enable information transfer in both directions - inputs and outputs to the brain!
© Sirwinchester
sometimes I really don't know if I should be excited about our progressing technology or not. But like always you can use progress for the good and the bad, that's not new.
Yeah, it could be that people use this technology to control minds or to get information. But it could also help to learn more about other people, how they think and feel...technological empathy. It could be used to build connections between fighting cultures.
So there's always a big chance for doing something good :)
I agree, but I'm a bit scared, too. We should be careful with these kind of techs not as we did with the nuclear power... Pls, do not misunderstand me, I'm with the digital era. ;)
I recently read the book "Game Changer" by Douglas E. Richards , which is why this post caught my eye. This technology is obviously nowhere near as advanced as what is portrayed in the book, but it's definitely moving in that direction. If you're interested in this kind of technology, I think you'd definitely enjoy reading "Game Changer".
This a joke?
Nope, completely real! Check out the video above
The emotiv headsets have been on the market for 5+ years commercially available and reasonable price, I really wanna get one.
Great... Very interesting and informative post really enjoy your post upvoted!!
Thank you, I appreciate it!
very interesting news, thanks for sharing.
This sounds all mind boggling.
''information transfer in
both directions - inputs and outputs to the brain!''
Right, that would be amazing! I'm excited to see where this research will go in the future!
what would this tech trend mean for our privacy?.
google already knows everything about us, lol.
That's true as well. I guess there would have to be some new regulations in order to prevent misuse!
thanks for reply, really great article.
congratulation if human being succeed this much really amazing
follow and upvote sir thank you
this is certainly a good early invention, it could be that the findings could be developed into human health and behavior through brain readings, or enable further discovery, of human behavior for security and crime..great information...thank you for share your information...
Thank you and glad you enjoyed it!
Yes you're right, there are many possible applications for this type of technology in healthcare, science, and education.
thank you for your reply my comment and have a nice day
This is cool, but also a bit unnerving.
I'm guessing I'm not the only one thinking of potential methods of mind-control that could result from such technology.
Thanks for sharing though, very interesting development regardless.
This post has been ranked within the top 25 most undervalued posts in the first half of Sep 16. We estimate that this post is undervalued by $41.28 as compared to a scenario in which every voter had an equal say.
See the full rankings and details in The Daily Tribune: Sep 16 - Part I. You can also read about some of our methodology, data analysis and technical details in our initial post.
If you are the author and would prefer not to receive these comments, simply reply "Stop" to this comment.