Brain hacking and tracking: the future of wearable neurotechnology

Is brain hacking and tracking just science-fiction? Or has emotion-sensing neurotech already arrived? And what are the applications, good and bad? On The Big Tech Show this week, Adrian is joined by Duke University Professor and Author of ‘The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology,’ Nita Farahany. The Law professor first came to neurotech as a result of being a self-described chronic migrainer. She began using neurostimulation devices and neurotechnology to treat the pain and this allowed her to physically move through the migraines without using drugs with negative side effects. In the second part of the conversation Adrian asked about the negative applications of this novel technology. The author made the point that a lot of this futuristic neurotech is already operational in society. She gave the example of an Australian company that has been selling a device for over a decade that can tell employers if their staff are wide awake or falling asleep. There are more recent reports of workers in China wearing these devices, being exposed to communist messaging and punished if they display a negative reaction. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.

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