We are approaching a world of automation where even the basic thing could be done by a computer. Neuralink company, one of Elon Musk's 'toys' gave details on a similarly ambitious project earlier this month. The brain reading project kick-started in 2017 during its annual F8 conference. Looks like this mind-reading project could be one step closer to augmented reality.
This has been the most significant update since its inception, with researchers now able to decode small spoken words and phrases. Back in 2017, the goal was to decode silent speech. The company has been able to implant electrodes into the brains of three epilepsy patients in one of its experiments. The patients were asked to answer questions they need to answer aloud. This, in turn, was useful to monitor the activity and brain patterns in the parts of the brain associated with understanding and producing speech in real-time. The readings from the electrodes according to the researchers were 61% accurate. What this means is that it is possible to decode speech in an interactive setting to support people with brain trauma when communicating.
The company is in no rush with the progression of the research. In the meantime, it is working on a portable wearable device that monitors oxygen levels of the brain. This would come handy for a BCI device to read people's minds without the need for any invasive surgery. Even though the device is not totally reliable, it could be a fundamental feat of Facebook's AR glasses when perfected. At some point in the future, we can communicate without the need for smartphones. Virtual augmented reality glasses make brain reading very easy in very limited capacities.
Even though Musk's brain-computer startup has the head start on efforts on this space, this could be some competition for the two giants. Human trials could begin before the end of 2020. This is something that would cause a little concern for many people. With this, researchers could use it to improve the lives of people who can't speak due to issues. Some people may just need technology to express themselves and fix any defects they may have. Again who won't welcome a hands-free communication without saying a word?