Scientists Step Closer to Telepathy with Successful TMS Trial

Up until now, the best way we can send data is via fibre optics, lasers and radio waves.  No doubt most of you own a Cell phone, and they are a great way to communicate with people. But what if we could send messages directly to any person we want to?  It sounds like the realms of science fiction and fantasy.  Delving into Telepathy is still regarded by many to be held firmly within the plotlines of movies such as Xmen.

But all of that is about to change, because an international team of researchers have taken one step closer to making telepathy a reality. The team have used something called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to accomplish amazing things. The scientists have managed to transmit words from one person’s brain to another person’s brain over 5,000 miles away.

The experiment, which took place, consisted of four participants at one time; one of which was assigned to be the brain-computer interface. The other three participants were all acting as receivers for the signal being sent. The person interface with the computer was shown the words “Ciao” and “Hola” translated into binary code. The people were then instructed to envision moving their hands for a 1 and their feet for a zero. Then the brain activity for each action was subsequently recorded and sent over the Internet to the other three participants.

The message was fed to each of the receivers through a TMS headset. The magnetic field that is produced by this apparatus can increase brain activity, and in the case it was directed at the visual cortex. The participant would see the binary string, outputted by the TMS headset, as a pattern of bright flashing lights located in their peripheral vision. If light appeared in one location, it was a 1, and at another it was a 0.

The subjects’ were rigged up to an EEG that captured the information from the brain to analyze. After compiling the code, the researchers found the word was transmitted successfully.

I know, what you are thinking! The technology to do this is not really new. However, the precision that is required to filter out all the noise and correctly inspire the brain without using any invasive techniques is still very much advanced.

One day though, it might be possible to actually think a message and have it transmitted over the Internet to someone else’s brain.

The power of human thought, it truly is a marvellous thing isn’t it?

As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below.

[Image via wikipedia]

SOURCE: http://www.geek.com/science/brain-to-brain-communication-achieved-across-5000-miles-1603750/