Painting by thought

A new computer in Austria can help people create works by drawing electrical signals from the brain.

Now, to help people control the computer by thought, scientists attach electrodes to a hat and then put the hat on the user's computer. The electrodes are capable of detecting small fluctuations in the electrical current from the brain of the user. Those signals are encoded into command to control the computer.

Dr. Christoph Guger, a researcher at the GTech technology company near the city of Linz, Austria, and colleagues use similar technology to create computers where people can paint pictures by thought. The user attaches the electrodes to the head so the computer receives signals from the brain, the Telegraph reported.

A volunteer wearing an electromagnetic hat to control a computer drawing. (Photo: Telegraph)

"The interface of the computer we build works like a simple painting software, which allows the user to create drawings by thinking about the functions in the software," explains Guger. .

If the user focuses on a choice - such as a tool for drawing circles or lines, for color - painting software can "understand" what the user wants to do.

Guger said that if the team could implant the electrode into the cortex, the computer would be able to encrypt every finger movement and voice. Even the computer can guess the intent of the user.

"Then you can draw pictures with a lot of details," he said.

Guger's team is working with researchers in Japan to develop electroplating technology into the cortex . With this technology, users can draw pictures more easily, though they have to undergo an operation. The computer can understand commands such as "turn on the light bulb", "circle", "blue".