When do you think it will be possible to create a video from a memory with just a helmet over the head?

Submitted by Possible_Being_3189 t3_126l8qc in Futurology

Hey everyone,

I've been wondering for a while now about the possibility of creating a video from our memories by connecting our brains to a computer. I've heard that there have been some recent advancements in this field, and it got me thinking about when we might see this become a reality.

Do you think it's something that could happen in the next decade or so? Or is it something that is still far off in the future? I'm curious to hear what you all think and if anyone has any insights into the current state of research in this area.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this topic!

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QristopherQuixote t1_je9o0rv wrote

The problem is translating neural signals to images. Our firing patterns are unique. We have over 80billion neurons and over 500trillion synapses. Decoding brain signals into high resolution graphics would be hard.

The work around would be training. If we are shown known videos and images it is more likely a system could learn a brain’s signals. However, I don’t think it would be possible to use a helmet off the shelf and get it to work.

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[deleted] t1_je9pfmd wrote

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QristopherQuixote t1_je9putb wrote

I agree completely. A simple EEG machine and headset costs 6 figures or more. A consumer headset and console would have to be miniaturized and made much smarter.

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[deleted] t1_je9z0og wrote

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QristopherQuixote t1_jea1zmk wrote

I went off hospital equipment prices. I wasn't aware of this. Thank you for the reference.

By comparison, these look like you could put together a "research grade" EEG setup for under $5k.

For the sort of data needed to extract imagery, it would have to be a high resolution signal. I don't know if it is even possible yet. Some mentioned taking word fragments and producing generated imagery, but that's very different from "recording" imagery from someone's brain.

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Suolucidir t1_je9pxzc wrote

I think it's something that could happen right now. Here is a video of a guy turning his memory of a lemon into a generative text output using GPT: https://youtu.be/-HYbFm67Gs8

If he had just trained it to recognize his thoughts of a lemon for thoughts of a lemon, then the text output would have been: "Lemon"

There are already models that convert text to video, so it would just have to hand off to a video generative model to produce a video of a lemon instead.

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dragonballzetto t1_jedwzr9 wrote

Less than five years before you could do this and also record dreams and thoughts—like making up a movie in your mind and then seeing it on a screen. All in high definition.

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DanFlashesSales t1_je9qwj1 wrote

Now.

https://fortune.com/2023/03/09/ai-generate-images-human-thoughts-stable-diffusion-study/

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aplundell t1_jeaxhm7 wrote

Important Caveat 1 : What they built is a lot more limited than you might imagine just by looking at the pictures.

Important Caveat 2 : This isn't memory, it's decoding what the user is currently looking at. Even as this technology gets better, it remains to be seen if the human brain can even recall a memory coherently enough to extract it like this.

But still : It's a real step towards a technology that sci-fi writers have fantasized about for generations. And even if it never works on "memories", it could be huge for people with disabilities. And of course, if it ever got cheap, people would use it to record dreams.

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Pkmatrix0079 t1_je9uvo4 wrote

The main holdup for what you're asking is actually the helmet part of your question. We have the technology now, but the technology uses fMRI machines which like regular MRIs can be pretty huge. So the real question is, "When do you think it will be possible to create an fMRI small enough to be worn like a helmet?"

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Mercurionio t1_jeawkrp wrote

At this point surveillance will be so large, that having thoughts will be a crime.

So I'd rather wouldn't think about it. And hope to die before it will become a thing.

PS: or we will psionically ascend. That's I can greet easily

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dnadude t1_jebt6ry wrote

Not that far away. Look at a company called Openwater. They are making a wearing MRI that could potentially have significant better resolution too. This technology may also allow electronic telepathy. I can't remember her name but the watch the CEO's Ted Talk. She's behind some of Facebook's technology and the One laptop per Child org.

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South_Cheesecake6316 t1_jecllt2 wrote

We already have neural networks that can create images that roughly resemble what a person is looking at.

I don't think it would entirely be out of the question for people to be able make videos from thought when asked to recall a memory.

However, although the subject and location of these videos would often be correct, I doubt the smaller details in these videos would be at all consistantly accurate or exist at all. I highly doubt that you would be able to scan a person's memory for clues like in some sci-fi movie, because ultimately memory is flawed and peoples brains will fabricate details to fill in the gaps.

Short answer, yes but it won't be a perfect copy of what happened.

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Hosscatticus_Dad523 t1_jee68qp wrote

I think the brain computer interface (BCI) may expedite that. Elon Musk has been talking about it and, allegedly has a patent for it. It’s my understanding, a person using BCI simply “thinks” and the computer responds…and could preserve that interaction.

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