A team of scientists from University of Washington and Carnegie Mellon university has created a device using which human beings can cooperate with each other in a game just by using their thoughts. The technology is still in the infant stages, but its potential applications are mind boggling, reported Russia Today.

“We present BrainNet which, to our knowledge, is the first multi-person non-invasive direct brain-to-brain interface for collaborative problem solving,” the team wrote in a pre-publication release.

The device, which is called BrainNet, a brain-to-brain interface, has three-way neural connection and operates using two electroencephalograms (EEGs) and a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The EEGs transmit the instructions from the senders to the receiver wearing a TMS.

The device can be used by participants to play a tetris type video game using their thoughts. Though the technology is in its infant phase and is still under development, the team of scientist tested it to play the game.

EEGs were connected to the two senders and they were asked to play a Tetris-style game and decide whether each new block needed to be rotated or not. The decision taken by the two senders were then sent to the receiver via the TMS cap.

A feedback could be relayed by senders if they think that reciever has understood the telepathic instructions correctly or has not understood the telepathic instructions.

Receiver can also make judgement call entirely based on brain communications as to which sender is more reliable. An average accuracy of 81 per cent was elicited in the five different trials researchers did.

The system is still awaiting peer review but it holds potential to eventually connect entire networks of people across the web.

university of washington

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