A Mind Reading Prototype Powered by Intel

I did not believe it myself when I read it, the invite said  “A future computer that can read your mind and perform the task you are looking for”. I was like “yeah right” and went back to choosing themes for my Firefox. But then the invite also said the following:

--A 3D television that is personalized, anticipating your preferences and sorting through the 15 billion hours of video to present options you want
--An affordable digital camera that converts objects into 3D images
--A virtual shopping world that you can see yourself in a 3D image to realistically view how clothing will appear in person and in-store signage that knows what you like to buy
--An affordable in-home computing device that self-regulates the power used in your home to your preferences.

The event was basically an open house by none other than Intel, our friendly neighborhood processor manufacturer, the guys who follow Moore’s Law as though they lobbied for it to be passed. Every gadget or futuristic concept there had one thing in common: they were all powered by an Intel chip, be it an Atom, an i7 or a 48 core chip, which was one of the shiny objects on display. The event was an eye opener really and credit needs to be given where deserved, Intel’s research division is cool enough to turn me in to a brownnoser for this column.

Out of a lot of future concepts discussed here is a list of what I think is real useful, and secondly they are either released already or to be very soon, thus they might be of interest to us consumers.

Brain Activity reading
This one obviously catches the attention. It’s in the early stage, but a working concept. Researchers at Intel and Carnegie Mellon University are working on a research project using MRI imaging and machine learning techniques to translate brain activity so that computers can recognize what people are thinking.

Home Energy Management
This gizmo is much closer to today, and is in full working condition. It basically is a power meter on steroids. It can gauge the power consumption of every node, centrally control and provide family members with information to help them plan their daily energy requiring activities, control utility costs, access personal messages and activate home security systems. It has a Smart Thermostat that  enables users to reduce energy expenditures by adapting settings based on the weather conditions, current energy prices and the family’s usage patterns. Powered by an Atom Z530 chip.