Human Machine Interfaces

Five Incredible and Real Mind-Control Applications

Brian Handwerk
CI !"# $"#
%ristin Richardson
&! 'ctober #"!&
Article Summary:
(Five Incredible and Real Mind Control Applications)* is written b+ senior writer and
researcher) Brian Handwerk, He has more then !" +ears of e-perience writin. and editin. award-
winnin. pieces, He is also a former /ational .eo.raphic producer, I don0t believe Handwerk can
be an authorit+ on Mind Control Applications however he is a valid source to write credible)
informative) pieces,
1ithin this article) Handwerk 2#"!&3 writes about five different Human Machine
Interfaces known as HMI, He references statistics) dates) and authoritative scientists to back up
each different HMI,
4he first HMI Handwerk e-plains is a device that allows +ou to create music directl+
with +our thou.hts, (4o make music) such thou.hts are associated with notes or sounds to create
a lan.ua.e of musical thou.ht that0s produced directl+ from the brain, 1ith this established users
can simpl+ think musical scores to life and pla+ them via the computer)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3,
Handwerk references the Mi/5 ensemble from the 6niversit+ of Michi.an as an e-ample,
4he ne-t HMI Handwerk e-plains is an application that (filters the incomin. calls of
bus+ mobile phone users b+ simpl+ monitorin. the state of the user0s brain)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3,
He references Ru..ero corcioni) who won a mobile app award) in which he presented a
protot+pe of this, corcioni used a (brainwave readin. headset to monitor brain activit+ and
reroute calls to voicemail when it perceives that the user0s brain is bus+ with other tasks, If the
user0s brain is in a receptive state) it lets the call throu.h)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3,
4he third HMI Handwerk e-plains is the concept of a &-5 7ob8ect to be created b+
thou.ht alone)* 2Handwerk #"!&3, Handwerk e-plains that 9eor.e :askowsk+ 2;anuar+ #"!#3
created the first-ever such ob8ect, He also references :askowsk+0s compan+) 4hinker 4hin.) in
which created a pro8ect for school kids called Monster 5reamer, 4his (.ave school kids the
opportunit+ to use the software to create the monster of their dreams) or ni.htmares) in a matter
of minutes)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3,
4he fourth HMI Handwerk e-plains is the abilit+ to drive a wheelchair and a car with
+our mind, (For the disabled) the abilit+ to move about usin. the power of their minds could be
life chan.in.)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3, He references three different authoritative sources that all
have been workin. on such pro8ects, ;apanese scientists 2#""<3 and research lab RI%=/ 2#""<3
(announced a thou.ht-controlled wheelchair)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3, wit>erland0s Federal Institute
of 4echnolo.+ added on to the same pro8ect that the ;apanese were workin. on, 9erman
=n.ineers 2Free 6niversit+ of Berlin3 have taken this concept and have been attemptin. to
implement it in cars, However) (the 7Brain5river0 application is not roadworth+ +et)*
2Handwerk) #"!&3,
4he last HMI Handwerk e-plains are 7bionic0 limbs, (Human machine interfaces are
becomin. part of the human bod+)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3, He references researchers at Case
1estern Reserve 6niversit+ and the 5efense Advanced Research ?ro8ect A.enc+ 25AR?A3,
5AR?A is a (leader in the development of advanced prosthetics)* 2Handwerk) #"!&3,
4he article is important in reference to the human condition and how we live our lives,
Man+ of these HMI0s are life chan.in. and incredible, 4he author did a fantastic 8ob on
informin. readers about different t+pes of HMI0s and how it will affect our lifest+le,
Reaction to the Article:
I believe this article0s research is 8ustified, It has multiple sources throu.hout the article
and at least one reference for each section Handwerk writes about, I don0t think it deserves an+
t+pe of public fundin. or attention as it is more of an informative article e-plainin. mind
controllin. machines,
4he article is e-plainin. on how beneficial each HMI is, I trul+ do a.ree with the credible
research that Handwerk provided, For e-ample) bein. able to drive a wheelchair or even a car
with their mind is life chan.in.) for those who are paral+>ed, I do think drivin. a car with +our
mind would cause a lot of societal dilemmas thou.h, 1ith the ri.ht technolo.+) it seems like it
could be plausible however the brain constantl+ wanders and with emotions in tact) how would
that affect controllin. a car@ I would ima.ine that controllin. a car with +our brain) +ou would
have to have !""A focus on doin. that task, If +ou receive a phone call or +ou .et upset) +our
brain would wander and +ou could possibl+ lose control of the car, 4his would cause a car
accident) in8uries and even death, Another e-ample is bionic limbs, 4hese are e-tremel+
beneficial especiall+ to those who .o to war and lose limbs tr+in. to defend our countr+, It
happens and we have prosthetic limbs that can attempt to aid these wounded warriors, However)
with bionic limbs) the user would be able to move seamlessl+ and operate the limb throu.h touch
and si.ht,
/ot onl+ are the HMI0s beneficial but also convenient, Handwerk e-plains an application
that allows +ou to screen mobile phone calls based on +our brains activit+, If +ou are occupied
then +our brain can reroute the call to voicemail, If +our brain is in a receptive state) it allows the
call to come throu.h, 4his is a reall+ neat application that could prevent the want to answer calls
in the car) in a meetin.) at work) at school) ect, I think it would help individuals .et less
distracted b+ their phones and worr+ more about the task on hand, I know when I am bus+ doin.
somethin. and then m+ phone rin.s) I Buickl+ turn all of m+ attention to m+ phone) whether it is
m+ true intention or not, Another convenient application is composin. and pla+in. music
throu.h +our brain to a computer, Handwerk e-plains that a user could create music in the brain
and it would translate onto a computer and then pla+, 4his is awesome for those who have
potential to be .reat composers but are not as .ood with writin. sheet music,
1hen I first be.an to read this article) I had a ne.ative outlook on mind controllin.
applications, I thou.ht it was weird and unnatural, After readin. this article and doin. further
research) m+ mind has chan.ed completel+, I see how beneficial HMI0s can be and how it can
help us as humans and as a countr+ .row, It reall+ brin.s science to the ne-t level, I was ne.ative
toward the sub8ect because I didn0t understand it and I couldn0t wrap m+ mind around how an+
of it was possible, Handwerk did a fantastic 8ob e-plainin. and breakin. down different t+pes of
HMI0s so it is eas+ for the reader to understand,
I don0t believe Handwerk i.nored an+ points while writin. this article, He e-plained
different t+pes of HMI0s and backed it up with support) references) and e-amples, He was
informin. the reader rather then persuadin., He did a fantastic 8ob as I am much more
knowled.eable and open minded about HMI0s now,
Clearl+ this article was written well and e-tremel+ informative, It chan.ed m+ outlook on
mind control applications and I hope that one da+ I could tr+ one out, I am lookin. forward to the
future to see what other t+pes of mind control applications are created,
Sources:
C'ur 4eam D 1ildflower Interactive,C Our Team | Wildflower Interactive, 1ildflower Interactive)
#"!#, 1eb, &! 'ct, #"!&, EhttpFGGwww,wildflowerinteractive,comGcontentGour-teamH
Handwerk) Brian, CFive Incredible-and Real-Mind-Control Applications,C National Geographic,
/ational 9eo.raphic ociet+) #< Au., #"!&, 1eb, &! 'ct, #"!&,
EhttpFGGnews,national.eo.raphic,comGnewsG#"!&G"IG!&"I#<-mind-brain-control-robot-
brainwave-ee.-&d-printin.-musicGH