Research team reports first direct brain to brain interface in humans

A team of researchers has successfully demonstrated what they call the first direct brain-to-brain interface between two human subjects. The experiment allowed one person to transmit thoughts to another person’s brain without the use of spoken language, text, or physical movement. This marks a step forward in the long running effort to build communication pathways that bypass the body’s natural sensory channels.

The study, published in a peer reviewed journal, involved a sender and a receiver located in separate buildings. The sender wore a cap connected to an electroencephalography or EEG machine that recorded their brain activity. The receiver wore a cap equipped with transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS to stimulate specific regions of the brain.

How the experiment worked

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p>The researchers designed a system in which the sender thought a simple word or phrase. The EEG cap detected the associated electrical signals and translated them into a binary code. That code was then transmitted over the internet to the TMS device on the receiver. The TMS system created flashing light patterns in the receiver’s visual cortex, which corresponded to the encoded message. The receiver interpreted those flashes as the original thought.

In the trial, the sender thought the word “holam” which means hello in Hebrew. The receiver correctly identified the word through the flashing lights. The experiment involved four pairs of subjects and achieved a success rate high enough to confirm that the system worked beyond chance. The researchers noted that the process requires focused concentration from the sender and a willingness to receive stimulation from the receiver.

Implications for communication

This kind of technology could eventually change how people with severe motor disabilities interact with the world. A person with locked in syndrome, for example, might one day use a brain-to-brain interface to communicate with a caregiver or a loved one. The technology could also extend to situations where silence is critical, such as military operations or emergency response scenarios.

The researchers acknowledged that the current system is slow and limited. It can only handle simple words or phrases, and it requires the receiver to have a functioning visual cortex. The equipment is also bulky and not yet practical for everyday use. Still, the experiment proves that direct brain-to-brain communication between humans is possible. That alone represents a significant milestone in neural engineering.

What comes next

Future work will likely focus on increasing the speed and accuracy of the transmission. The team also wants to explore bidirectional communication, where both parties can send and receive thoughts simultaneously. Other research groups are investigating ways to use different brain recording methods that do not require bulky caps. Some are looking at implantable devices that could provide higher resolution signals.

The ethical questions surrounding brain-to-brain communication are also beginning to surface. If one person can send a thought into another person’s brain, who controls that thought? Can it be blocked? Could it be used coercively? These are questions that lawmakers and bioethicists will need to address as the technology matures.

For now, the experiment stands as a proof of concept. It shows that the human brain can be connected to another human brain directly and that information can travel across that connection. The field of brain-computer interfaces is moving quickly, and this latest result adds a new dimension to what is possible. For more stories on the future of neural technology and human enhancement, follow Mylistingo.