This archive report was first published on 24 September 2019.
On September 24, 2019, Facebook announced its plans to build a mind-reading wristband that will allow people to control their devices using brain signals. The company acquired CTRL-labs, a start-up that explores ways for people to communicate with computers using brain signals, in a deal valued at $1 billion.
According to Andrew Bosworth, Vice President of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality at Facebook, the wristband will decode brain signals and translate them into digital signals that devices can understand. This technology aims to provide people with control over their digital lives, allowing them to share photos or perform other tasks with imperceptible movements.
Facebook's interest in mind-reading technology dates back to 2016, when Mark Zuckerberg outlined his vision for 'techno-telepathy.' In 2017, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook was working on a brain-computer interface that would enable people to communicate using only their minds. The company has since made progress in this area, partnering with researchers from the University of California to develop augmented reality glasses that can detect brain activity.
Facebook's ultimate goal is to create a system that can decode silent speech without implanting electrodes into the brain. While this technology is still in its development stage, it has the potential to revolutionize the way people interact with devices and technology.
