Thinking Machines
3 … 2… 1… Go!”
On cue, a collection of small white drones rose into the air to kick off a very unusual race. Instead of using the usual remote controllers, the students in this Florida gymnasium were piloting their drones with their minds. Each wore a special headset designed to recognize electrical patterns in the brain associated with specific directions. They could focus and think “forward” to move their drone forward or think “left” or “right” to move their drone from side to side.
“We did the drone race to show that this is a viable technology with huge potential,” said Juan Gilbert, a professor of computer science at the University of Florida who organized the race for his students. “People didn’t believe it; they thought the race would be rigged and you can’t move things with your thoughts.”
Human beings might not yet be capable of “Carrie”-like feats of telekinesis, but technology is fast closing the gap with so-called brain-computer interfaces. Gilbert envisions a future in which people sport brain-reading devices like they used to wear wristwatches, and he’s not alone. Many in Silicon Valley see brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) as the next technology gold rush.
Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson founded a company called Kernel in 2016 to develop implanted neural prosthetics, although initially the company’s main focus is on research into key brain functions. Last April, Regina Dugan, who then headed Facebook’s Building 8 advanced technology division, announced at a conference in San Jose that the group is
