Technical English Episode 6 Facebook's Plan to Send Thoughts from Brain to Computer

Facebook's Plan to Send Thoughts from Brain to Computer Before reading the text Brain can control every part of our body People`s thoughts can be printed Brain works with electric signals _True_ False No idea ______ _______ ________

Facebook's Plan to Send Thoughts from Brain to Computer Facebook is developing a technology that it says will be able to transfer thoughts directly from the brain to a computer.It announced the plans this week at a gathering of the social network’s developers in San Jose, California.Speech-to-text technology has made great progress in recent years. Now scientists are looking to expand on this to develop a system for thoughts-to-text. Facebook’s vice president of engineering Regina Dugan introduced the technology by asking the question, “So what if you could type directly from your brain?”Dugan said the aim of the project is to turn people’s thoughts into text in order to communicate on a computer or personal device. The company’s goal is for users to be able to type at least 100 words per minute based on signals sent from their brains.Facebook says the technology could be released within “a few years.” Dugan said other researchers say that people who are not able to use their hands have had success using similar technology. People involved in testing of the technology at California’s Stanford University had small electrodes put inside their brains. The electrodes were used to record signals from the part of the brain that controls muscle movements. These signals were then sent to a computer and translated into point-and-click commands.Stanford researchers said experiments showed that people using the system were able to type up to eight words per minute. Facebook has put dozens of people on a special team working on the technology. The company is also working with several U.S. universities to reach the goal of a thought-to-text rate of 100 words per minute. This is about five times faster than a person can type on a phone or other device. Dugan said the Facebook system would not require implants inside the brain. Instead, users would wear something on their heads with sensors to pick up brain signals. She added that the signals would only come from the area of the brain that translates thoughts into speech. “We are not talking about decoding your random thoughts. That might be more than any of us care to know.” Facebook also announced it was working on another technology that could allow people to recognize words through their skin. Researchers say this technology would use skin instead of the ear to take in sound and send information to the brain.“Imagine the power such a capability would give to the 780 million people around the world who cannot read or write, but who can surely think and feel.” Facebook is not the only company studying technology to directly transfer thoughts from the brain to a computer. American businessman Elon Musk is launching a company to explore possible applications for brain interface technology. Musk is the chief of electric carmaker Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX. He says his system would use implants to pick up brain signals that would go to computers and electronic devices. Musk has spoken about his fears that robots using artificial intelligence (AI) could get too much power over people and possibly threaten humanity. He said one way to prevent this would be to add another AI element to the human brain.  

Words to Learn USEFUL EXPRESSIONS Underline the words you do not know. type electrodes implants decoding interface USEFUL EXPRESSIONS to transfer thoughts make great progress look to expand

type : /taɪp/ Definition: one member of a group of people or things that have similar features or qualities to write something using a computer or a typewriter Sample sentence: Type your password, then press ‘Return’.

Electrode : /ɪˈlektrəʊd $ -troʊd/ Definition: Small piece of metal or a wire that is used to send electricity through a system or through a person’s body Sample sentence: They test their models by sending signals back through the electrodes and observing changes in behavior.

Implant : /rɪˈflekt/ Definition: to put something into someone’s body by performing a medical operation Sample sentence: Dentist implanted an artificial tooth.

Decode : /ˌdiːˈkəʊd $ -ˈkoʊd/ Definition: to discover the meaning of a message written in a code Sample sentence: The software decodes the information embedded in the satellite broadcasts.

TEXT ANALYZING Listen and repeat exercises. Reading laudly. Understand the text -- Underline the verbs (Use pink colour) -- Circle plural words (Use blue color) -- Underline two times the words you do not know. -- Highlight good expressions. (Use brown color)

Assignment - Assessment Learn all vocabulary. Listen to the text 10 times while reading, and listen to the same text 10 times without reading. Then record your voice while reading. Undersand the text deeply (TEXT ANALYZING) Write the text on the right of your notebook, then analyze it on the left... .. verbs, tense, plural nouns, - my favourite sentence, good expressions, words to learn 6. Summarize the text

ASSIGNMENT Make a sentence with the given expressions make great progress to turn people’s thoughts into text to reach the goal to pick up brain signals people to recognize words