Science - Experts see progress in mind reading via EEG
Reading thoughts using an Electroencephalogram (EEG) is making progress from the perspective of experts, according to neuroscientist Gyula Kovacs from the University of Jena. The content of thoughts cannot be determined with traditional methods using an EEG or other measurements of brain activity, he said. However, the development of modern technologies and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at least makes this possible to some extent.
AI is "the most important development of the last few years for analyzing EEG data," he added. This allows certain parts of consciousness to be made visible. "That was previously absolutely not possible." For example, it is possible to follow whether someone has seen a series or not, or whether someone recognizes a person. The ethical question must be raised as to how far this technology should be used at all.
EEG expert Jan Rémi, head of the Epilepsy Center Munich, also said: "We are still far from thought reading. But I believe that in the next few years, it will be possible to determine whether someone is lying or not." EEG signals with their hundreds and thousands of waves offer numerous analysis opportunities, which in the future could be better evaluated with AI.
An EEG records the electrical activity of the brain. The first recording was achieved by psychiatrist Hans Berger in Jena 100 years ago - on July 6, 1924. Similar recordings had already been achieved in animals before that.
- Gyula Kovacs, a renowned neuroscientist at the University of Jena in Germany's Thuringia, is contributing to the advancement of brain research through EEG technology.
- Kovacs emphasizes that while traditional EEG methods can't decipher thought content, modern AI applications are helping to make certain aspects of consciousness more visible.
- Intriguingly, with the help of AI, it's now possible to track if someone has observed a series or recognized a person using EEG signals, as mentioned by Kovacs.
- The success of AI in analyzing EEG data was highlighted by Kovacs, who stated that it's "the most important development of the last few years" for this field in Germany.
- EEG expert Jan Rémi, based in Munich, shared similar sentiments, expressing hope that within a few years, EEG technology can potentially determine if someone is being honest or not, contributing to the ongoing debate about mind reading and ethics in medicine.
