Windows 7: World's first 'thought images' seen on screen

Asking 'shall we watch a film?' could soon be replaced by 'shall we watch a dream?' For the first time, researchers have successfully reproduced images on a PC screen that were captured inside a human brain.

According to several online sources, Japan's ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories first showed a group of test subjects the six individual letters that make up the word 'neuron'.



Then by measuring brain activity – specifically, activity in the brain’s visual cortex – ATR’s researchers were able to reproduce each of the letters, from each of the subjects, on a PC screen.

The Kyoto-based lab said in a statement that it was the first time that it had ever been possible to visualize what people saw directly from their brain activity.

But where will the researchers go from here? ATR added that the technology may make it possible to, one day, record and replay subjective images that people perceive as dreams.

So no more forgetting what that weird dream was less than 30 seconds after you wake up.