Some of the most cutting-edge interfaces — technologies that even go beyond gestural interfaces like Microsoft’s Kinect –- might be much closer to implementation than you think.
In fact, a group of researchers in San Diego have developed a system that allows users to dial a phone number on a cellphone using only their thoughts. The method is surprisingly accurate and would be a huge advantage for people with disabilities or anyone who needs a more hands-free experience or who regularly performs tasks that require a high degree of mental focus.
The technology, which was developed by University of California, San Diego neuroscience researcher Tzyy-Ping Jung and colleagues, tracks electrical activity in the brain using a headband of electrodes and a Bluetooth device. Users of the system were shown digits from zero to nine flashing at slightly different speeds on a computer screen; the frequency of each digit was detected by the electrodes, allowing the Bluetooth device to “know” which numbers to dial…
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