A team of researchers at the University of Texas has developed a noninvasive means by which human thoughts can be converted into text.  Though currently somewhat clunky, the "semantic decoder" could one day be miniaturized and mobilized such that one's most private thoughts could be made apparent anywhere and endlessly.

The scientists' paper, recently published in the journal Nature Neuroscience (look for the centerfold!), indicated that a "brain-computer interface that decodes continuous language from non-invasive recordings would have many scientific and practical applications."

I'm sure that is the case.  You can bet that tyrannical governments from China to Canada, and from Iran to Washington, D.C., would love to avail themselves of the "practical applications" this interface would afford them.  Regular citizens might not be so excited by this prospect, however.

This new decoder utilizes functional magnetic resonance brain imaging and artificial intelligence, unlike previous brain-computer interfaces, which required invasive neurosurgery to decode speech articulation and other signals from intracranial recordings.  Easy-peasy, right?

According to an article in Interesting Engineering, the research team was led by Jerry Tang, a doctoral student in computer science, and Alex Huth, an assistant professor of neuroscience and computer science at the University of Texas-Austin.  During a U.T.-Austin podcast, Huth stated, "For a noninvasive method, this is a real leap forward compared to what's been done before, which is typically single words or short sentences."  He added, "We're getting the model to decode continuous language for extended periods of time with complicated ideas."  Wow.

The researchers claim to realize that the technology raises some ethical concerns.  Tang averred, "We take very seriously the concerns that it could be used for bad purposes and have worked to avoid that."

I'm sure the researchers at the lab in Wuhan said the same thing circa 2019.

At the very least, when this technology/capability is perfected, it will be the end of marriage.  When we can't keep our most private and unbidden thoughts about, say, the hot neighbor to ourselves — or can't get away with a diplomatic answer to the question, "Do these pants make my butt look fat?," matrimony is finished.  So, too, will be employment.  When your boss approaches you and glowingly asks, "What do you think of my proposal, Johnson?," and you can't hide the fact that you think it is the dumbest idea since New Coke...you might want to freshen up your résumé.

In all seriousness, free speech is being massively curtailed by leftist tyrants around the world.  Free thought is obviously the next target, and this new brain-computer interface technology will greatly aid them in their quest to make everyone totally and unequivocally submit and swear fealty to The State.

We are witnessing — in real time — the deliberate destruction of the family and traditional values.  Christianity is being mocked and attacked.  The number of people identifying as LGBTQ is exploding, especially among our youth.  Censorship is on the rise.  "Misinformation boards" are being considered — and created.  Chinese-style social credit scores are coming soon to Canada, the U.S., and other Western nations.

Say something your government doesn't like, and you could be put on a "Bias List."  Lockdowns are now an approved tool of government.  The Great Reset and the dismissal of capitalism are upon us.  Western nations, in the grip of some sort of mass psychosis and delusion, are hell-bent on bankrupting themselves — and therefore the global economy — in the needless and preposterous attempt to fight "climate change."  We are being told to eat bugs.  And that we will "own nothing" and "be happy."  Diversity, inclusion, and equity (DIE) is everywhere superseding and supplanting merit.  Governments are trying to institute Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) so they can monitor and control every aspect of our lives via our finances.

On top of all this, soon we will likely be at the mercy of "brain transparency."

Can you guess what I'm thinking?

It all ties together.  A dystopian future?  That seems almost optimistic.  Only divine intervention can save us at this point.

Graphic credit: DJ, CC BY-SA 2.0 license.