Mind reading "toys"
Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:56 pm
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269155,00.html
Ok some people figured out how to make a sort of light sabor toy that will light up if you are really concentrating on it and willing it to light up. They say it helps people to be aware of their own thoughts and may help children learn to focus and concentrate. This sounds good and all, but it is also kind of scary. What if they used this technology against people and made something not so toylike?
I could see that they might have some weapon that may not fire unless you are concentrating, which might be good. Only certain people would have the ability to use those weapons. A child may not be able to pick it up and use it, but then again, never underestimate what children can do, or learn to do.
I really am kind of scared of how this may be used in the future.
Some of the most innocent sounding of things can be used for weapons or against people or to control people.
Maybe there will be crimes in the future for simply thinking negitive thoughts or something. I'd so end up in jail or getting killed, because I am usually thinking something negative about the government, the state of the world, and everything in general, including about myself.
What better way to introduce this technology to the public than to call it a toy, get us familiar with it, and thinking it is cool and fun. I won't be buying one, thank you very much. My brain is the last refuge I have, the one place I can go to where no one can follow, for now.
Ok some people figured out how to make a sort of light sabor toy that will light up if you are really concentrating on it and willing it to light up. They say it helps people to be aware of their own thoughts and may help children learn to focus and concentrate. This sounds good and all, but it is also kind of scary. What if they used this technology against people and made something not so toylike?
I could see that they might have some weapon that may not fire unless you are concentrating, which might be good. Only certain people would have the ability to use those weapons. A child may not be able to pick it up and use it, but then again, never underestimate what children can do, or learn to do.
I really am kind of scared of how this may be used in the future.
Some of the most innocent sounding of things can be used for weapons or against people or to control people.
Maybe there will be crimes in the future for simply thinking negitive thoughts or something. I'd so end up in jail or getting killed, because I am usually thinking something negative about the government, the state of the world, and everything in general, including about myself.
What better way to introduce this technology to the public than to call it a toy, get us familiar with it, and thinking it is cool and fun. I won't be buying one, thank you very much. My brain is the last refuge I have, the one place I can go to where no one can follow, for now.
Mon Apr 30, 2007 4:11 pm
I read that article first thing this morning, and it really creeped me out, too. I mean, yeah, cool, they're learning how to integrate technology more, but I still think there should be limits on what is allowed out to the general public. Something like this seems to be edging on borderline.
Future technologies similar to this... {shudders}. Anything that interacts/reads the mind scares me. I mean, it's my brain. No one else...person or *thing* should have access to it unless I should choose to share.
Since I work in IT, topics like this come up from time to time, so I've had plenty of time to think about it....that being said, I will end now before I get any further on my soapbox.
Future technologies similar to this... {shudders}. Anything that interacts/reads the mind scares me. I mean, it's my brain. No one else...person or *thing* should have access to it unless I should choose to share.
Since I work in IT, topics like this come up from time to time, so I've had plenty of time to think about it....that being said, I will end now before I get any further on my soapbox.
Mon Apr 30, 2007 4:14 pm
It's just modifying ways of sensing people that have been used in medical research/testing for many years now. It's hardly new, nor that terrifying. It still needs contact with the skull.
Come back to me when people learn how to use their minds without needing to touch the thing to make it light up.
Come back to me when people learn how to use their minds without needing to touch the thing to make it light up.
Mon Apr 30, 2007 4:21 pm
As long as there are humans we will adapt our technology to kill.
I'm looking forward to the fallout from Nanotech myself, that will be fun*
* read fun as: oh dear, this isn't gonna be pretty.
I'm looking forward to the fallout from Nanotech myself, that will be fun*
* read fun as: oh dear, this isn't gonna be pretty.
Mon Apr 30, 2007 4:37 pm
Setekh wrote:As long as there are humans we will adapt our technology to kill.
Best thing you've ever said XD
Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:50 pm
Kitten Medli wrote:Setekh wrote:As long as there are humans we will adapt our technology to kill.
Best thing you've ever said XD
Had to happen eventually
A pity though, that it's while slating an entire species.
Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:03 pm
Well I can certainly see the good in this, but it still scares me.
One good thing it may do is to help people who are trapped within their bodies learn to communicate with others to PROVE they are still IN THERE. Then maybe they will be able to retain a little dignity and get treated better, instead of being just a body sitting in a chair or bed which people treat as an object rather than a person.
Believe me, I have been guilty of talking down to people and not giving them the dignity they deserve. I am still working on this myself and it is easy to do this when other people I work with are also doing it. So I am preaching at myself as much as to anyone else. I'm embarrassed to think about how I've treated people in the past.
One good thing it may do is to help people who are trapped within their bodies learn to communicate with others to PROVE they are still IN THERE. Then maybe they will be able to retain a little dignity and get treated better, instead of being just a body sitting in a chair or bed which people treat as an object rather than a person.
Believe me, I have been guilty of talking down to people and not giving them the dignity they deserve. I am still working on this myself and it is easy to do this when other people I work with are also doing it. So I am preaching at myself as much as to anyone else. I'm embarrassed to think about how I've treated people in the past.
Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:02 pm
I don't see what the danger is - except in countries without freedom of speech, and it'll probably be banned in those, too.
Tue May 01, 2007 7:24 am
I want one!!
Tue May 01, 2007 12:59 pm
Uncle Xyzzy wrote:I don't see what the danger is - except in countries without freedom of speech, and it'll probably be banned in those, too.
Thought activated Anything.
Who needs launch codes when only Mr X can activate them anyway?
Although to be fair it is one of the smaller dangers, Robotics and Nanotech are probably the biggest concerns with blowing ourselves up. (Or rather more malignant with Nanotech, we would never know what was happening until it was far too late.)
Tue May 01, 2007 6:18 pm
The idea of something being activated by thought is scary, because sometimes people think things like "just die" or something without really meaning it. What if that were enough to make it happen somehow?
I can see this being used for thought activated lazer guns or even magic "wands" which fire a lazer or something when you think about it.
I can see this being used for thought activated lazer guns or even magic "wands" which fire a lazer or something when you think about it.
Tue May 01, 2007 9:34 pm
Lazer?
Light Amplification by Ztimulated Emission of Radiation...
Not meaning to dig, but why does everyone use a Z in laser?
Saying that, I doubt thinking "just die" (Or whatever" would fire a shotgun, I'd assume there would have to be conviction in the thought.
Light Amplification by Ztimulated Emission of Radiation...
Not meaning to dig, but why does everyone use a Z in laser?
Saying that, I doubt thinking "just die" (Or whatever" would fire a shotgun, I'd assume there would have to be conviction in the thought.
Wed May 02, 2007 11:23 am
Setekh wrote:Saying that, I doubt thinking "just die" (Or whatever" would fire a shotgun, I'd assume there would have to be conviction in the thought.
Like the unforgivable curses in harry potter!
Wed May 02, 2007 2:59 pm
Setekh wrote:Lazer?
Light Amplification by Ztimulated Emission of Radiation...
Not meaning to dig, but why does everyone use a Z in laser?
Americanization, my friend!
Wed May 02, 2007 3:05 pm
They could totally make some toy wands that fire a safe beam of light when you put some real conviction into your thoughts.
People could test themselves and find out alot about how they really feel. It could be surprising to find out how you you really feel or what you are capable of doing. It could also be a way to relieve stress. Some people really don't know how to get the hate out or other feelings out. If they could just focus their emotions on a toy like this, then it might help them to get rid of pent up hate or other emotions. They could just channel it through a wand like this, and pretend to fire it at people without hurting anyone. Eventually they'd grow tired, their wand wouldn't light up anymore, and they would have gotten rid of their hate for a while.
I am not sure it would be a good idea to let children play with wands like this though. Because, as much as a person wants to believe in magic, there are just some things humans can't do using their own bodies, like fly or breathe underwater. We have to make things to assist us with this, and although it might look magical, there is science behind it as well. But you know some kid out there would try playing with a toy like this, and thinking that it could make them magical, and they'd kill themselves or others.
Then instead of blaming the parents for poor supervision, or not educating their child to realise the difference between reality and fantasy, everyone would be all up in arms about books like Harry Potter.
So really these mind reading toys I think are not safe in everyone's hands.
People could test themselves and find out alot about how they really feel. It could be surprising to find out how you you really feel or what you are capable of doing. It could also be a way to relieve stress. Some people really don't know how to get the hate out or other feelings out. If they could just focus their emotions on a toy like this, then it might help them to get rid of pent up hate or other emotions. They could just channel it through a wand like this, and pretend to fire it at people without hurting anyone. Eventually they'd grow tired, their wand wouldn't light up anymore, and they would have gotten rid of their hate for a while.
I am not sure it would be a good idea to let children play with wands like this though. Because, as much as a person wants to believe in magic, there are just some things humans can't do using their own bodies, like fly or breathe underwater. We have to make things to assist us with this, and although it might look magical, there is science behind it as well. But you know some kid out there would try playing with a toy like this, and thinking that it could make them magical, and they'd kill themselves or others.
Then instead of blaming the parents for poor supervision, or not educating their child to realise the difference between reality and fantasy, everyone would be all up in arms about books like Harry Potter.
So really these mind reading toys I think are not safe in everyone's hands.