Jeff Klopmeyer Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Some pretty interesting news came out this morning... WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Using thought alone and with some electrodes placed on the surface of the brain, four volunteers were able to control a video game, U.S. researchers reported Monday. Simply by thinking the word "move", the volunteers played the simple video game, the researchers reported. "We are using pure imagination. These people are not moving their limbs," said Dr. Eric Leuthardt, a neurosurgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis who worked on the study. Think the implications through from a musical standpoint. Imagine the possibility of controlling a synth with your brain alone. At some point, the technology will advance so that the electrodes won't have to be on the brain itself. As the article states, they hope to invent wireless systems that serve the same purpose. It's going to be an interesting world pretty soon. Hell, it's interesting now. Here\'s the full story - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelandre Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Originally posted by Jeff Da Weasel: It's going to be an interesting world pretty soon. Hell, it's interesting now. JeffOMG, this is scary stuff. You are saying that a brain might be able to control a synth for example. Have you though of the possibility of doing it the other way around? Ouch... Or even worse, reprogramming the brain from a computer so that all of a sudden you want to vote for Bush.. Or change Neocons in to Liberals... ! Now, wait a minute, hmmmmm... Well I must admit it does sound kind of interesting.. steelandre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted June 15, 2004 Author Share Posted June 15, 2004 It is scary indeed when you look at the less-than-humanitarian aspects of the technology. For all intents and purposes, it's machine-assisted telekinesis. I like to image the possibility of people like us making neat music without having to touch an instrument. I try to avoid thinking about other types of people controlling armored tanks using the same technology. But keeping along the lines of the happy thoughts... if these people can control a video game with a few moments of training, imagine the possibilities of having an electronic instrument play back the sounds you hear in your head. No other interface required. I'm sure this would also take training, but certainly no more so than we current go through to master our noisemaker of choice. As I said, it's an interesting world. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowly Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 They were experimenting years ago with a gadget that would take a cue from a fighter pilot and cause the plane to take an evasive manuever. I guess with stealth technology they didn't need it anymore. This would be good for getting all this music out of my head and onto paper. Kcbass "Let It Be!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I had a thread a few months ago about what sort of advances one would expect in the next 10, 100, 1000 years type thing. This is what I was getting at...actually. That thread quickly devolved into a "music only" thread ("In 2050 I'll have 500 more tracks for my recording on my DAW") and then a joke thread...but no one seriously considered the possibilities. This "mind" thing is most intriguing (and, yep, scary)...but think beyond its musical applications. In the first place, all of our motor functions are made by the brain telling a body part to do something. This connection is "hardwired" into us through the nervous system. But, suppose those brain signals could be transmitted, as with a radio. I don't see why they can't...we just don't know how to yet. People joke about "the purpose of mankind's existence" and yet...looking at history, the purpose seems to be one of discovery and invention. Sometimes for the good, sometimes not. And yep, this could be scary...but it could be incredibly useful, too. Heck, any of our current technology can be scary and destructive if abused. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted June 15, 2004 Author Share Posted June 15, 2004 Originally posted by Tedster: But, suppose those brain signals could be transmitted, as with a radio. I don't see why they can't...we just don't know how to yet.Exactly. They're getting closer, though. All the power is already locked in your head. As usual, we just have to get past the interface issues. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Yipes. I've known things were headed in this direction for awhile, and a lot of people seem to think it would be a cool thing to just be able to imagine a piece of music and have it come out... that is, the physical part of it is a limitation to them. I don't feel that way. I think the physical element is a vital part of music and when you take your body out of the equation, it sucks. And I'm sorry that people are so afraid of their bodies that they feel the need to eliminate them wherever possible. I'm sure many will disagree now and in the years to come, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted June 15, 2004 Author Share Posted June 15, 2004 Originally posted by Lee Flier: And I'm sorry that people are so afraid of their bodies that they feel the need to eliminate them wherever possible.In my ideal world that does not exist, it wouldn't be a matter of eliminating the physical component of music creation. More likely, on a personal basis I'd enjoy being able to play my guitar while also "playing" drums, bass, keys and so on. A good show to watch? Probably not. But perhaps a cool way to compose on the fly. I'm sure many will disagree now and in the years to come, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.Well, I'm sure as hell not gonna be first in line to get my transmitter implant, if that's what you think. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eh steve Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 http://www.interkino.ru/i/brucealmighty/ba14.jpg http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail36.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbroni Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 About two years ago, I saw a documentary about the electronic music scene. One of the guys, had taken an electrode head gear piece from a old poly graph machine, which measured brain state energy. He turned into a midi controller, he couldn't make music with it though, but he'd wear it connected to his midi controlled lights, while he played and as his brain states changed, he used it to control his light sequences. It was cool as hell. There's no sense in being scared of technology in my opinion, its inevitable. Just like you shouldn't be afraid of death or taxes. Another point to scare you scaredy cats . The technology used to run the mars rover is whats called bottom up programing as opposed to top down programming. Top down is when you try to come up with every possible problem and solution and then program it into your AI device. Bottom up is when you program a robot to learn from its environment and make decisions on its own. They spent countless with the rovers, running them through conditions that force them to learn basic survival skills. Now that the rover is on mars, the programmers say go so many miles in this direction and call us when you get there. If it runs into obstacle it tries to figure out how to get by, if it can't it calls NASA. Then it remembers the solution. When top down and bottom programming meet in the middle about 50 years from now we may very close to machines developing a unique form of consciousness, some scientist say this may be next major step in evolution, because biometrics and neural computing will be alot further along. So you see you will have alot more to worry about than neural controlled music. It is also known that our bodies create EM fields, based on our emotional state. Engineer / Students at MIT are working on computer platforms that can recognize these EM fields and make personalized responses to thier owners. This stuff can be either scary or we can choose to use our heads, to make sure the infrastructure of our society is ready for the technology. Together all sing their different songs in union - the Uni-verse. My Current Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendrix Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Yeah - first you are controlling games or mixers or drum machines. Next thing you know you have spyware and pop-ups clogging your brain. No thanks. I can see it now - Norton anti-virus for Cerebellums only $59.95 Check out some tunes here: http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 The brain to MIDI interface we all used to joke about might be possible eventually? Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted June 15, 2004 Author Share Posted June 15, 2004 Originally posted by Philip O'Keefe: The brain to MIDI interface we all used to joke about might be possible eventually? Amazing.Yes, except a pretty slow, serial, asynchronous interface probably won't handle the ole brain too well. Actually, on second thought, it's probably be fine. I wonder how many themes the average person could generate simultaneously. they say Bach could think with seven parts happening simultaneously, but I can't see how that would be proven. In any case, 16 streams would probably be plenty, based only on the built-in limitations. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I think some people could use more steps between their brains and actions, not less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennyf Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 "A sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." --Damon Knight . . . or --Fred Pohl Somebody, anyway. band link: bluepearlband.com music, lessons, gig schedules at dennyf.com STURGEON'S LAW --98% of everything is bullshit. My Unitarian Jihad Name is: The Jackhammer of Love and Mercy. Get yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eh steve Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 The sound of thought <--- link http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/2002/09/08/news/cape/11-brain2.jpg MIND GAMES: Masahiro Kahata's Interactive Brainwave Visual Analyser translates brainwaves into sounds and visuals Picture: AMBROSE PETERS http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail36.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbroni Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I can see it now - Norton anti-virus for Cerebellums only $59.95 Too funny. Together all sing their different songs in union - the Uni-verse. My Current Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernest828 Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 Or even worse, reprogramming the brain from a computerSign me up. Ernest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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