ICC student symposium 2012 at the AUC.
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19
May 2012
22:48
Welcome to the future
February 26, 2010
Welcome to the future
I think I landed in the future on Friday the 19th of February. I saw things that were impossible, or at least, that was what I thought. Stepping back in to the past: in the 1940’s nobody would have thought in any way that we would now be capable of measuring EEG brainwaves and transforming these brainwaves in to computer commands. Imagine someone who is simply looking at a computer, and making a virtual cube turn without even using his hands or any other part of his outer body, only his brain. Think about how people would have reacted to something like this even further back in the past. In the Middle Ages they would probably have yelled: ‘WITCH’ and they would have burned you.
But it is not the past that is important here, but rather the future possibilities of this knowledge. Imagine for example what this would do for the gaming industry, your gaming capabilities will no longer be measured by the reaction time of your fingers but by direct measurement of the reaction of your brain. Perhaps, in a few years, gamers will no longer be sitting behind the screen fiercely pressing buttons, but in stead they will be staring fiercely at the screen. This might result in games making people more and more intelligent, since you are directly training your brain. Sounds amazing doesn’t it, becoming smarter through gaming? Imagine as well what this would do for the mental health care, these EEG headsets can be connected to a program that can detect deviating brain waves, in which we might find the cause of certain mental health problems, and we could get better at helping these people.
It all sounds great, thinking what this might do for our world. By the time that we all are old or dead, people will control their computers, their televisions, and their personal robot merely by thinking. Nobody would have to get up any more, they would have a robot connected to them and they just have to lie in bed, connected to the headset and by mere thinking they would be able to control their robot, which makes me think if it would still be fair to call the robot a machine for maybe we have then become the machines who control the robots who walk around in the real life. Not only can minds control machines, but would the machines become able to control minds? What if this knowledge gets used for all the wrong purposes? Imagine this knowledge was available during the 1940’s, during the Second World War, don’t you think it would be rather intimidating that they can read your brainwaves, and if I may put it this far: ‘read your mind’?
This invention could do great things, but as many new inventions, it can do terrible things as well. Maybe the movie ‘The Matrix’ (Wachowski, 1999) is not that surreal anymore, and we will be in that state in another few thousand years. But on the other hand, people were very skeptical on the computer as well, and maybe had the same fears, and it is on that same concept that I am typing this blog now. I think we just have to wait and see what will happen…
Comments
It reminds me of a recently broadcasted BBC documentary with James May. He 'investigated' the progress men has made with robots. He also sat in a wheelchair which he controled by thinking 'left' and 'right' thoughts. It sounds really cool, but it was extremely difficult to merely concentrate on only left and right handed movements, and not to get distracted. I think that there is too much going on in our brain at once. I believe it will be possible for a machine to get controlled by our brain, but for our brain impossible to control a machine.
This reminds me of the film 'surrogates', where no one has to leave their houses anymore and instead they control a robot who goes out for them.
In my opinion it's quite an interesting concept, reading people's minds and stuff like that. My fascination however is tied to the supernatural. I think that in real life, it would have more negative consequences than positive. Sure, it would make things easier, but it would also make people lazier. Not to mention the breach of privacy, of people's minds. While you never know what could happen, and if it was controlled, it might even be a good thing, I'm not sure it would make life better.
Things that can do good, or are even meant to do good, will always be used by people who want to do bad.
Just look at the computer that is connected to the internet, and letting you write this message, how many viruses, trojan horses and other destructive things are out there?
What would happen if another war would break out and people can indeed 'read our minds'?
What would happen if people with all the wrong intentions sabotage these systems that are connected to our bodies and brains?
Don't you think that could cause enormous problems?
It would scare me to live like this.
Yes, people were afraid when computers were invented, and despite the fact they did us good, they caused bad things as well.
Omg... Very interesting thoughts here.. I find it really scary to think we will be acting like robots in, like for example, a decade or so. We shouldn't let robots take control of our lives! We lose contact with the real world, communicating between people will be almost impossible. No one doesn't really know anymore how to speak to each other, only how to control their robot..
So yeah, i think these new developments are dangerous.. And I really don't want to change into a man-machine.. But what are you gonna do about it?
Just go with the flow.. Right...?
To look at another film, namely "WALL•E", in which we see fat people lying all day doing nothing. Don't you think we'd all become fat nothing-doers if we let robots do all our tasks? Will our vision on human beauty change if every is doing nothing? If we'll be that dependent on electricity, how disastrous would a power outage be?
And think about this: we could use technology to help old and I'll people until we're all 120 years old and live like barely-alive wrecks.
Nice piece!
Can you explain why playing games using EEG will make you more intelligent. I can imagine using the feedback from an EEG to consciously control some parts of you brain and improve, for example, you meditation skills.
And as long as EEG is "read-only" I don't think it will completely replace other computer interfaces. Tactile feedback can be very helpful.
I do not know precise details in which the brain would be more intelligent, but in stead of having the body as a part between your brain and the game, the brain would say 'push with your finger on button A'. However, this time your brain will give a direct commando to the game and you would be directly working from your brainwaves, making you more able to control your brainwaves, training your brain in a direct way, instead of mostly training the muscles in your fingers.
I hope you understand what I mean with this, if not, maybe you can ask a more precise question after reading this.
I think the main advantage of EEG controlled games is the flexibility of your input signal. You are not confined to two "analog" sticks and a few buttons. I'm interested to see how many degrees of freedom a person can control using his/her brain. but my guess is that the limitations still lie with the EEG device itself or the signal processing in the computer.
And while playing games, I don't think "push R2" or "tilt R3 to the left".
I don't even consciously think "throw a grenade" or "turn left". When I have to think about these low-level actions instead of a higher-level strategy, it means I'm in trouble and I'm probably dead before I am even finished thinking about it.
When I hear about new developments like this, I'm usually quite sceptical if they will really turn out that way. I think the movie 'matrix' is exagerated but has included some possibilities for the future. I prefer not thinking about advanced technologies like these because I have to admit that I am not comfortable with them. I think we have to stay within certain boundaries.
This is so interesting! I really like your point about WW2. I makes you think about the power of technologies and the damage it could cause.
My question to you is:
Do you thinks these new developments are dangerous, Will we turn in to man-machines? Or is this all overreacting?
Will we turn in to man-machines?
Considering the number of computers on my desk alone: Yes, that will be very helpful.
helpful, maybe. But don't you think it is rather dangerous? That we will actually become machines, and you could almost say 'humans are extinct'? do you think it is necessary to create even MORE computer technology to make life 'easier', don't you think it is easy enough, and it is already making us terribly lazy?
helpful, maybe. But don't you think it is rather dangerous?
Sure, it could be. Should we avoid all risk or can you show me why the risks are greater than the benefits?
That we will actually become machines,
As far as I am concerned, we technically all are "machines".
and you could almost say 'humans are extinct'?
The human race in constantly evolving. Is that wrong, or should we stay human (whatever that means)?
do you think it is necessary to create even MORE computer technology to make life 'easier'
If you don't, I will. And I will have an advantage over you.
don't you think it is easy enough,
The most dangerous thing you can do is to decide you're good enough and stop improving yourself.
and it is already making us terribly lazy?
Lazy FTW!
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