Scene - Blogs - Our Geek Future Mindcontrolled technology

Our Geek Future: Mind-controlled technology
Published: 12/31/2012 12:00 PM
Last Modified: 1/2/2013 12:00 PM

The future of mankind is bright, and technology is leaping in advancement every year. 100 years ago, we were riding around in Model T cars along dirt and early concrete roads. The best way to get the news was to look at a paper while riding on a Trolley Car.

Today, we zoom past the same fields and meadows in highways in the sky, in cars made from across the ocean. We listen to our touch-screen mobile devices that connect us with people all over the world. We are no longer saddled by time or space, and an entire world of information is at our fingertips.

So where is this technology going? What will we see in another 100 years? Flying cars, warp drive, holograms? Yes to all three. However, there's another, more interesting technology being developed today.

Mind Control and you

A technology that has been in development for a few decades now is called Brain-controlled interface (BCI) technology. The technology, already in production, allows the user direct neurological control of artifical limbs, computer functions and even computer games.

In many cases, the technology works by placing a microchip into the brain of the user, which then sends out signals to the limb or controlled machine.

This technology has been vital in allowing paraplegic and paralyzed patients communicate with the outside world, and will eventually lead to a possible mass-market audience.

Can you imagine turning your car on with a thought? Too lazy to get the remote? Just think about changing the channel, and it will change.

This is our future, for better or worse. Human rights watched are concerned for the possible misuse of the technology, and some have even speculated that mass-market chips will be the mark of the beast.

The chips are on the table and we can read your mind

If a chip inside of your head is too scary to think about, alternate neural interfaces are being developed that will read your mind via sensors that detect changes in brainwave patterns. Such technologies are already in development at IBM and Intel to actually read someone's mind.

The sci fi shows Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis feature devices that are activated and controlled by thought.

Love it or hate it, the technology is around the corner and may pop up as mass-market items pretty soon.

Do you have a topic you would like the Prairie Nerds to address? Let us know at PrairieNerds@tulsaworld.com

Written by
Michael Dambold
Scene Writer

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Matt Clayton floats between being a nerd, geek or a dork. Has an extensive collection of toys, comics and video games that would make any adult feel ashamed to call themselves a parent. Unlike most nerds, he does enjoy sports, but his favorite sport is soccer, so that really doesn't count as a sport anyway. Can quote "Clerks" at the drop of a hat and owns a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier named Will Wheaton. And no, Ewoks could not have possibly taken down the Empire with just sticks and rocks.

Nerd strengths: Zombies, Star Wars, Video games, Game of Thrones, Tech, cars, British soccer.

Micah Choquette is a self-proclaimed web geek who generally despises the term "nerd." He can hold his own in a conversation about comics or movies with the other Prairie Nerds, but his heart belongs to the internet and his soul was sold long ago to Apple. He routinely follows many of the design and development gurus of the day, soaking in their ideas and putting them to work for the 'World. He's also an avid user and abuser of Social Media, and can be found on Twitter, Facebook and yes, even Google+.

Nerd Strengths: Apple, Coffee, Google, Coffee, Code, Coffee. In that order.

Anna Codutti has been a card-carrying nerd since high school and the beloved academic team. Now merely a pub-trivia ringer, her refined nerd tastes have focused on Buffy (yep, she's still going!), Doctor Who and anything Felicia Day does. Her childhood crush was "TNG's" Wesley Crusher, but now she wants to marry "The Big Bang Theory's" evil Wil Wheaton.

Nerd Strengths: Music blog snobbery, tabletop/party game dominance, and ability to read supernatural young adult novels at lightning speed.

Michael Dambold is a comic fanatic who has been reading Marvel Comics since he was 11. He's read almost every X-Title book in existence. He thinks Jean Grey needs to stay dead. He also has an obsession with Star Trek, Stargate and MST3k. He's a literary nerd, obsessed with works by Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov and Jules Verne.

Nerd strengths: Coffee chugging, X-Men & Marvel Comics, Star Trek, Stargate, X-Files, paranormal mysteries (Bigfoot, etc.), classic sci-fi TV, movies and books.

Chris Moore is not ashamed to be called a Geek. It is who he is first and foremost. While some out there hide from others that they play video games, he proudly displays his love and knowledge of the pastime. He hopes one day to have a collection of games which rivals that of a city library. To this day one of his greatest moments is that he was able to watch and record the original three Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies by sheer luck.

Nerd strengths: Video games and TV.

Jason Powers is the resident geek dad. He is trying hard to raise his kids to be smart, thoughtful nerds just like his Dad raised him. He was brought up on a steady diet of Doctor Who, JRR Tolkien, Douglass Adams, Sherlock Holmes, Vertigo Comics and vintage pulp noir novels. He's been watching shows made by the BBC for so long, he sometimes has a hard time grasping American television. He still enjoys Legos a great deal.

Nerd strengths: British Science Fiction, Star Wars, Sherlock Holmes, X-files, Coffee, Zombies, Space.

James Royal can tell you what Kirby crackle is. His favorite X-Man is Nightcrawler. He owns more than two dozen Star Wars novels. He knows how much damage a magic missile does. His favorite T-shirt features the insignia of Cobra, the ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. He liked the Walking Dead before the Walking Dead was cool.

Nerd strengths: Comic books (especially Marvel), movies, Star Wars, fantasy novels, pro wrestling (does that count), 1980s cartoons and television shows, video games.

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