eli5: How computer read brain signal

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Computer can read electromagnetic wave by transferring them from frequencies into binary code. ( correct me if im wrong). But how computer can turn brain signal into binary code and predict the movement of the individual ( such as monkey playing a game) how does human so powerful that they created binary code for one specific alphabet and it is same as what brain use it for the specific alphabet. For example, the binary code for letter A is 00001 and how does the brain come out with the same as well. or my understanding is wrong, pls help.

In: Technology

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Scalp electrodes are used for EEG (brainwave) acquisition and analysis.

Those EEG signals can then be cross correlated with, for example, auditory or visual cortex input stimulus to then map EEG responses with whatever was stimulated.

Or in words, you have a bunch of EEG scalp electrodes attached to your head while under active observation, and then you view an inkblot image. Your EEG responses could then be mapped to the visual content of the inkblot so that the next time you viewed the said inkblot your EEG responses thereto could then be accurately predicted.

Anonymous 0 Comments

If brain imaging is sensing em waves like with eeg, it’s sensing macro wave patterns in various regions of the brain, not individual neurons or anything. MRI senses blood flow in brain blood vessels & afaik can give more detailed imagery. They can now detect some individual neuron activity (I think it’s invasive though). I’m no neurosurgeon though, so grain of salt.

Anonymous 0 Comments

I supposed you are talking about BCI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain%E2%80%93computer_interface

> or my understanding is wrong, pls help.

You’re understanding is wrong. I think the best way to approach this is by using analogy of OCR, where you use a computer to convert an image to text

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_character_recognition

So the computer sees an image of the letter “A”, a needs to convert it into the binary 00001. This is done by using a computer program that can detects patterns of data. The key thing is, it is patterns in data, so doesn’t matter if the data is an image, or sound (like speech to text) or recording of someone’s brain signal.

Of course you need a specialized program for each, but the concepts are similar.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Binary is the most basic of computing languages, Sure all computers are written in it but almost none use binary as their primary way to present and process information. It would be like you or I spelling out every word in every sentence. Basically the computer breaks down Tasks, (to my understanding) in to smaller groups to keep from being overwhelmed with information overload. These Groups are made up of the binary instructions that the computer reads and processes, Giving an output, Binary itself is never changing so we can measure this input and output to create the computer you and I both know….

If any of this is incorrect or doesn’t make sense feel free to correct me