Scientists claim first in using brain scans to predict intentions.
MARIA CHENG AP Medical Writer.
BERLIN (AP) - At a laboratory in Germany, volunteers slide into a
donut-shaped MRI machine and perform simple tasks, such as deciding
whether to add or subtract two numbers, or choosing which of two buttons
to press.
They have no inkling that scientists in the next room are trying to read
their minds _ using a brain scan to figure out their intention before it
is turned into action.
In the past, experts had been able to detect decisions about making
physical movements in advance. But researchers at Berlin's Bernstein
Center for Computational Neuroscience claim they have now, for the first
time, identified people's decisions about how they would later do a
high-level mental activity _ in this case, adding versus subtracting.
While still in its initial stages, the techniques may eventually have
wide-ranging implications for everything from criminal interrogations to
airline security checks. And that alarms some ethicists who fear the
technology could one day be abused by authorities, marketers or employers.
more...
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/2277
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