Investing in BCI Technology

Oct 2nd, 2007 | By Penny Sleuth Contributor | Category: Technology

“What is Mind? No Matter. What is Matter? Never Mind.”
— Attributed to Homer Simpson

I’ve been writing lately about the advent of technology to enable a mind-machine interface. It’s just taken a great leap forward.

It’s not courtesy of Uri Geller, who has been shown — how shall I put this delicately — to not be so much a magician as sleight of hand artist. Neither is it Criss Angel (a.k.a. “Mindfreak”), whom some people I respect actually think may just be doing something quite extraordinary.

But a new technology shows the promise of enabling true machine-assisted telepathy. That’s pretty extraordinary in itself.

Scientists at Wadsworth Center have developed a “brain computer interface (BCI).” It can identify brainwave patterns precisely enough to translate them into letters.

Team member Peter Brunner recently demonstrated it at the European Research and Innovation Exhibition in Paris by spelling “B-O-N-J-O-U-R” purely through the power of thought.

Potential beneficiaries include 16 million sufferers of cerebral palsy and five million victims of spinal cord injury. Stroke victims are another group who may benefit.

Eventually, it will allow users to control machinery, such as wheelchairs, via thought, perhaps even ultimately pilot vehicles such as cars.

It takes about 15 seconds to type a single letter (or select a command). Though very slow by normal standards, this represents a major advance for persons such as Stephen Hawking, who are literally prisoners in their own bodies.

The system works by displaying a menu of choices. It highlights each in succession. When a particular brainwave shows heightened attention or interest, it interprets that as a selection.

Over time, the system adapts to the particular brainwaves of the user. Future versions may perform faster.

Already, it is finding practical application. One neurobiologist reportedly uses it to write grant proposals.

Although true instantaneous telepathic communication of thoughts is still years away, we can see the first glimpses in this technology. Meanwhile, I expect licensure of this technology to give a competitive advantage to some wheelchair maker and an innovative manufacturer of consumer products such as electronics.

We’ll be watching for investment opportunities.

To your profitable future,
Jonathan Kolber
October 2, 2007

P.S.: I’ve been anticipating these kinds of developments for quite a while. I have spent many of my years founding and managing emerging technology companies, as well as consulting others. I used these experiences to give my readers a unique insider look at small technology companies.

Penny Sleuth Contributor

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