FMRI — Generating text from brain images

[twomp]

Our brains are an electrical system. The thoughts in our heads (conscious or otherwise) are the results of electrical currents being sent through a network of neurons in our brains. Different thoughts, feelings and words will cause an increase of brain activity in different regions of our brains. With the help of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, researchers can take snapshots of the brain as people think of certain words or images.



What is the difference between fMRI and MRI?

MRI scans are used to diagnose conditions on many parts of the body like the brain, abdomen, hip, legs, arms, and spine. In contrast, while it still uses an MRI machine, fMRI scans are only done on the head.

How does the fMRI work?

If someone moves their left leg, a part of their brain will have an increase in activity. That part of the brain will receive an increase in oxygenated blood. The fMRI takes a snapshot of the brain and the areas with increased blood flow will be brighter in those images.

Unlike a typical x-ray scan where a static image is taken. An fMRI scan takes measurements of the energy emitted from the changes in blood flow as we think or perform certain actions. Each image of an fMRI scan consists of about 100,000 “voxels”. A voxel represents a cubic unit of the brain tissue. Each voxel having a value of its own. That is a lot of data!

fMRI images usually consist of about 100,000 voxels

AI + fMRI

With all that data, it would be almost impossible for anyone to decipher or convert any of these brain images into words or images. That would be where AI and machine learning come into play. With the help of AI plowing through all that data, researchers are able to convert these seemingly random brain images into thoughts and images that people see in their minds.

Current fMRI technology

• Scientists design algorithm that ‘reads’ people’s thoughts from brain scans
• AI re-creates what people see by reading their brain scans
• Scientists Recreate Pink Floyd Song by Reading Brain Signals of Listeners
• The Science of Mind Reading
  

https://bizarroworld.medium.com/fmri...s-1983af7b4f17

[ClaytonB]

You're assuming there's something in my cranium worth reading... big assumption...