Scientists say we will soon be able to control flying drones with our thoughts, and communicate almost telepathically through smartphones, thanks to temporary electronic tattoos. Engineer Todd Coleman of the University of California is developing non-invasive ways to control electronics with the mind - techniques that almost everyone can use.
Controlling machines with the power of thought is no longer the province of science fiction. In recent years, brain implants have given humans the ability to control robots with their minds, giving hope that one day we may be able to overcome the injuries and deficiencies received with the help of bionic limbs or mechanical exoskeletons.
But brain implants are an invasive technology, and perhaps it should only be used for people who need them for medical reasons. Instead, Coleman and his team are developing wireless, flexible brain activity-sensing chips that can be placed on the arm as temporary tattoos.
The devices are less than a hundred microns thick, the average thickness of a human hair. They consist of microcircuits integrated into a thin layer of polyester that allows them to bend and stretch. They are almost invisible on the skin, so they are easy to hide from others.
These devices are capable of reading electrical signals associated with brain waves and include solar panels for power and antennas for wireless communication and reception of energy. Other elements can also be added to them - for example, thermal scanners for monitoring skin temperature or detectors for analyzing the oxygen content in the blood.
Electronic telekinesis? Digital telepathy?
These devices can be placed on different parts of the body, such as the throat. When people think about talking, their throat muscles contract, even if the person is silent - this phenomenon is called subvocalization. Electronic throat tattoos can thus act as a sub-voice microphone with which people can communicate silently and without using wires.
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“We've been able to demonstrate that our sensors pick up electrical signals from the muscles in the throat so that people can communicate simply through thought,” Coleman says. He also adds that electronic throat tattoos are capable of picking up signals that can be used by smartphones with speech recognition.
Coleman notes that invasive brain implants still perform better in reading brain activity.
But neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis of Duke University Medical Center says people have a need for non-invasive technologies like this. “People want to control their surroundings with their thoughts, or play games with their thoughts,” says Nicolelis, who is not part of the Todd Coleman project.
Top image: Professor Todd Coleman is exploring the possibility of using flexible electronic chips attached to a person's forehead and able to monitor the brain activity of a patient with neuroses, with minimal inconvenience to the latter. These sets of sensors pick up the electrical rhythms of the brain and can transmit information optically or electromagnetically, providing data on brain disorders such as the development of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and schizophrenia.
Center shot: Todd Coleman is also exploring the possibility of using tiny electronic stickers with sensors and wireless transmitters to replace the bulky wired devices currently used to monitor newborns in pediatric intensive care units. Resuscitation of premature babies has already made significant progress in stabilizing the cardiac and pulmonary activity of newborns.
But these days, experts are increasingly focusing attention on brain damage: premature babies are often cases of underdevelopment of cerebral vessels, hemorrhages and seizures. If left unaddressed, it can lead to epilepsy or cognitive problems.
Bottom image: Photo of electronic chips that can be attached to the epidermis. Such epidermal systems integrate into the skin surface in a manner imperceptible to the user. These devices have rich potential for healthcare applications and can provide the wearer with additional non-health related capabilities.