Machine that reads minds

London, Jan 3 (UNI) Watch what you think, as scientists have developed a machine which is capable of reading minds and revealing our most private thoughts.

US researchers from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh found that with the aid of a sophisticated scanner and computer programme, they were able to determine how the brain lights up when thinking about different things.

Using an advanced form of MRI scanner, they analysed how the brain reacted to ten drawings of tools and buildings. They then used a computer programme to work out whether a person was thinking about a tool or a building.

Their analysis was found to be 97 per cent accurate but they went on to show that they could distinguish between two similar objects, such as two different tools, almost as successfully.

The brain scans also showed many different brain regions are involved in processing even the simplest information.

Though being limited to picking up the thoughts behind just ten pictures, the researchers were confident that they will soon be able to identify entire sentences.

The Daily Mail quoted team member Dr Svetlana Shinkareva as saying, ''We hope to progress to identifying the thoughts associated not just with pictures but also with words and eventually sentences.'' UNI XC SKB RAI1117