Mind reading computer knows people's thoughts

[A demonstrator in a prototype wearable robotic device on December 4, 2014 in Seika, Kyoto, Japan / The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images]

Mind reading may soon be possible thanks to a device developed by Japanese scientists that can identify words from brainwaves before they are spoken.

A research group from Kyushu Institute of Technology gathered a group of men and women to analyze their brainwaves using the rock-paper-scissors game, Rocket News 24 reports.

The team, led by professor Toshimasa Yamazaki, first asked the men and women to say each word, “rock,” “paper” and “scissors” out loud in Japanese. They then asked the group to concentrate on one word without saying it.

Although the results varied from to person to person, the scientists found similar brainwave patterns for the spoken word and for the thought, to the point were they could successful identify the words from people’s mind.

The scientists measured the brainwaves by focusing on a part of the brain known as Broca’s area, which is associated with human speech, Daily Mail Online reports. They found that each word had a distinct brain wave that could be seen up two seconds before the word was actually spoken.

The team also used Japanese words for summer, winter, spring and autumn in the tests and found that they could decode single characters up to 88 per cent of the time, according to Daily Mail.

Yamazaki told the Japanese newspaper, Nishi Nippon Shimbun, that he could see this technology being used in the future, Rocket News 24 reports. “Sci fi-like applications become possible, such as controlling robots with our minds,” he said.

This technology also has another great potential in helping people with speech disabilities, according to Rocket News 24. Perhaps even helping patients in a coma to communicate.