The past two years proved to be very fruitful in the world of neuroscience, exposing new secrets of the mind and unveiling yet more awe-inspiring gadgets. The year has delivered incredible breakthroughs in neuroprosthetics, visual stimulation and mind-reading.

Using sensors that detect brain activity, people can now move virtual cursors, remote-controlled helicopters, and robotic arms, just by thinking. As we seek to become ever more connected, a plethora of opportunities exist to cut out the products required to control a multitude of technologies via one central hub, embedded in your brain.

The most recent developments are in mind reading, mind controlled gaming and memory implantation. Scientist are exploring the effects of mind reading by utilising FMRI scanners that use electrodes to detect spikes in brain activity, allowing scientists to map areas of the brain responsible for a plethora of thoughts, actions and emotions. With this newfound mind-reading ability. MCG (Mind controlled Gaming) – developers like NeuroSky and Emotiv are already marketing devices which detect and interpret brain waves via external electrodes.

If that’s not Sci-fi enough for you, memory chips containing data information systems that can be embedded into your brain now exist in its literal form. A chip embedded into your brain that fires your familiarity neurons allows you to access and utilise information pre programmed in. The implications of this research are unfathomable: starting with interfering with harmful memories of trauma or disease, all the way down to sci-fi manipulation of the mind we have for so long anticipated in fear.

And just when you thought neuroscience couldn’t get any more awesomely frightening, false memory implants can now be completed with a full set of artificially-controlled decision making. The MIMO (or multi-input multi-output) prosthesis is able to learn from correct decision-making patterns in the brain, and to “replay” them. MIMO was able to improve decision making 10% above the norm.

As the trend towards wearable technology increases and our inhibitions towards their use lowered it is only a matter of time before the innovators complete development and have begin using neuro-nechnological products. Then it is only a matter of time until consumers jump on the band wagon in their search of the next new thing.