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Science Section => Science General Discussion => Topic started by: Solitary on September 23, 2013, 05:08:46 PM

Title: Mind Over Matter Or Brain Controlling Matter?
Post by: Solitary on September 23, 2013, 05:08:46 PM
www.youtube.com/embed/6LWz4qa2XQA?feature (http://www.youtube.com/embed/6LWz4qa2XQA?feature)   Solitary
Title: Re: Mind Over Matter Or Brain Controlling Matter?
Post by: aitm on September 23, 2013, 05:48:08 PM
Thats pretty damn cool. I have a whole new line of wimmens skirts to design....
Title: Re: Mind Over Matter Or Brain Controlling Matter?
Post by: Jason78 on September 23, 2013, 05:57:00 PM
It's still cool, even when you know how it works :D
Title: Re: Mind Over Matter Or Brain Controlling Matter?
Post by: Hydra009 on September 24, 2013, 09:45:59 AM
Why did they go with imagining a fist to make it turn right?  Seems pretty counter-intutive and clearly requires a great deal of concentration.  Why not just imagine it turning right to make it turn right?
Title: Re: Mind Over Matter Or Brain Controlling Matter?
Post by: Sargon The Grape on September 24, 2013, 10:01:11 AM
Quote from: "Hydra009"Why did they go with imagining a fist to make it turn right?  Seems pretty counter-intuitive and clearly requires a great deal of concentration.  Why not just imagine it turning right to make it turn right?
Maybe that's the only way they could get a signal close enough to the outer layer of the brain to be readable.
Title: Re: Mind Over Matter Or Brain Controlling Matter?
Post by: Plu on September 24, 2013, 10:06:33 AM
I'm guessing because it's easier to detect someone thinking about operating one of their own body parts than it is to detect someone thinking about controlling a very specific kind of object that is not a part of their body.

But this is really cool. Mind control tricks are awesome.
Title: Re: Mind Over Matter Or Brain Controlling Matter?
Post by: Colanth on September 24, 2013, 10:10:34 PM
"Thinking" about moving a body part actually results in signals to move that part.  Even in paralytics, if they "try to" move  a hand or a foot, the brain sends out those signals.  (The paralysis isn't caused by a malfunction in the brain.)  It's a lot easier for a paralyzed person to "try to" say reach for something to control a robotic arm than it would be for him to think of the letters r, f, g ("reach for glass").  And a lot easier to detect, since motor control signals are distinct, large and easy to recognize.

And that's the goal of this little exercise - to help the handicapped.  (If it were to control a little flying platform, movement of the head would probably be better, with the addition of a finger movement or something similar to control fan speed.  But that's not the goal.)