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A personal EEG system was previously released by Emotiv for researchers and developers. Emotiv's EPOCH acts as a revolutionary interface for human and computer interaction, and already has a considerable community using its developer kit.
Now scientists at the Technological University of Denmark have hooked up Emotiv's system with a Nokia N900 smart phone. Individuals can now monitor brain states in a natural environment, as opposed to in a laboratory setting where one would typically find brain scanning devices. The mobility aspect may also help patients with neurological disorders be treated and monitored at home.
One possible use of the device would be to diagnose seizures at their onset. Continuous monitoring is made easier with a mobile device, which would then allow specific mental states to be studied in relation to possible triggering stimuli.
The EPOCH has also been used to make calls with a smart phone. The technology allows you to think of a phone number, and then it can be "dialed" through concentration. It could also function as a typing assistant for paralyzed individuals.
An interesting feature I would like to see someday is the ability to monitor brain states during deep sleep and dreams. If brain impulses during dreams could be mapped into visual data, then theoretically it would be possible to create video footage of what is dreamed during sleep.
I also wonder if brain stimuli could be created with a smart phone and inputted to the brain. Could a frequency be sent to the brain before a seizure to cause the brain to stabilize in epileptic patients? Brain states could be altered with digital precision rather than with pharmaceuticals as is currently done for people experiencing depression, bi-poloar disorder, etc. I think this technology is a ways into the future, but the fact that we are already able to map our brain activity on smart phones shows we are well on our way to new experiences and opportunities for self-knowledge.
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