Reading Minds

Neuroscience has progressed very decisively in a couple of decades.

By Moarrikh Ahmed Mirza

The brain is a fascinating organ. The scientists have always been keen to unfold the complexities of our brain and brain system.

The modern science is working rapidly in neuroscience. AI development has been proven beneficial in all the fields of medical sciences. It has helped a lot in the discoveries.

Neuroscience has progressed very decisively in a couple of decades.

A few worth mentioning achievements are; mapping the brain techniques like MRI and diffusion tensor imaging have provided more detailed maps of brain structures and connections, uncovering new insights into how different areas communicate.

Elon Musk’s neuralink insertion in the brain is another important trial. The consequences are yet to be studied, and with this, the several companies have started brain implants. The preciseness has reached the level that we can identify single gene defects that contribute to neurological disorders.

Our modern understanding of the brain has evolved over the past century, from the limited 47 brain regions known in 1909 to our current human brain map with 98 regions in the cortex, alone.

In the mid of 2023, University of Texas sent shockwaves through the world as a study was conducted at the hut lab, and for the first time, the thoughts and impressions of people unable to communicate with the outside world were translated into continuous natural language, using a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and brain imaging technology.

This is the closest science has come to translating thoughts or I can name it a better phrase as reading others' minds, although in the last decades, neuroimaging has enabled non-responsive and minimally conscious patients to control a computer cursor with their brain, this is a few steps ahead.

Alexander Huth who co-leads the research told The New York Times: "This isn't just a language stimulus. We're getting at meaning—something about the idea of what's happening. And the fact that's possible is very exciting." They combined AI and brain scanning technology and created a non-invasive brain decoder that was capable of reconstructing continuous natural language among people who were otherwise unable to communicate with the outside world.

This can help in scores of research. The development of such technology and parallel development of Brain-controlled motor prosthetics which enabled the patients to achieve some renewed mobility in my opinion holds tremendous prospects and is promising for people who are suffering from neurological diseases including locked–in syndrome and quadriplegia.
Looking forward, in longer terms, this could lead to wider public applications such as fit bit styles and brain-controlled smartphones, the same as the Neuralink of Elon Musk, he had told followers that Neuralink‘s first product Telepathy would one day allow people to control their phones or computers just by thinking.
Mind-reading tech promises wonders but ethical concerns loom. Privacy and identity face threats, raising questions about thought freedom and manipulation. While powerful benefits in healthcare and communication exist, we must tread carefully.

Open discussions, the strong ethics and legal safeguards are important.

This is a future knocking. Let's open the door wisely, prioritizing both progress and our humanity. I hope we come across people like Jenner, Pasteur, and Fleming working in such fields involving ethical concerns.

The writer is a student.