Video Worth Watching
This video provides an initial glimpse of what our future may look like when it comes to interacting with digital interfaces.
One of the most impressive aspects to me was how quickly the machine was calibrated - taking just a few minutes.
What's essentially occurring is the real-time conversion of analog brain signals to digital signals that a machine can interpret. While the initial application will certainly be towards controlling digital interfaces with our mind, I'm very curious as to what the second and third-order consequences will be for a world in which our neural activity can be quickly transcribed and played back.
For instance, if we have a repetitive task that requires a great deal of knowledge and skill to carry out successfully, we can record the brain activity of the person as they complete the task and save it. We can then replay it on-demand, share it, and even make it publicly accessible for anyone to use.
The first thing that inevitably happens when something analog can be encoded digitally is the massive copying and proliferation of that thing and a commiserate drop in value as scarcity disappears.
What will this mean for us when it comes to the digital proliferation of our brain waves?
This also means that potentially one person can be scaled indefinitely now. If a monkey can play one game of pong with their mind, it means they could simultaneously play thousands of instances of the same game as long as they have the same starting parameters and the game reacts in the same way.
I could see this apply to factory-type settings where one skilled individual controls a massive scale of machinery by broadcasting their brain waves to every machine. Even better they just need to do it once and then they can replay the recording, and the person doesn't even necessarily need to be on site.
I'm definitely interested in seeing what shape this has all taken in 25 years.