(hla) A scientist from the University of Washington Professor Rajesh Rao claims to have been able to control the hand movement of a colleague solely by using the power of his thought. He was able to mentally stimulate his colleague, who was all the way on the other side of campus, to tap the space bar on his computer keyboard.

The Telegraph reported that Professor Rao wore a cap filled with electrodes that picked up the electrical signals, which are then transmitted via the internet to a magnetic coil that was placed on Dr. Andrea Stocco's head. When Professor Rao thought about tapping the space bar on his computer keyboard, the coil then stimulated Dr. Stocco's left motor cortex, which governs hand movement, to prompt him to carry out the action.

"The Internet was a way to connect computers, and now it can be a way to connect brains. We want to take the knowledge of a brain and transmit it directly from brain to brain,” said Dr. Stocco.

Results of other studies have shown that mouse brains can be linked together while some amputees have also used similar technology to move robotic limbs. This is however the first type of experiment that involves connecting two different human brains.

If a single thought of one person can influence another person to respond in action, how much are we influencing others with the millions of thoughts crossing our minds every day?



You may also be interested in: "They're Listening to Your Thoughts"



By Genevieve Tan Shu Thung

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Holistic Living Annex (AUGUST 2013)