Researchers Create a Device Allows You to Post To Twitter Using Thoughts

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Biomedical Engineering have developed a device that lets you tweet by the power of thought alone!!!. Putting aside the obvious jokes on “thinking before twittering” for the moment, this is exceptionally neat stuff.

The interface consists, essentially, of a keyboard displayed on a computer screen. “The way this works is that all the letters come up, and each one of them flashes individually,” says Williams. “And what your brain does is, if you’re looking at the ‘R’ on the screen and all the other letters are flashing, nothing happens. But when the ‘R’ flashes, your brain says, ‘Hey, wait a minute. Something’s different about what I was just paying attention to.’ And you see a momentary change in brain activity.”

Practically speaking, technology like this is exceptionally useful for persons with locked-in syndrome or spinal cord injuries. Between this and the Nerve-tapping Neckband, I look forward to not talking to any of you again.