Mind Control: Neurotech Research On The Rise

Imagine a world where a person could control a computer just by thinking about it, or a marketing firm could get an accurate picture of consumers' opinions by reading their minds.

It may sound like something from a Sci-fi movie, but according to a new study, neurotech is capturing the attention of companies everywhere.

Number Of Patents Increasing

Market research firm SharpBrains released an analysis on Wednesday showing that the number of neurotechnology patents has been swiftly rising since 2010.

The number of patents secured in 2010 was 800 and rose to 1,600 in 2014. Those figures are a good indicator that more and more firms are looking for ways to tap into people's brainwaves.

Medical Uses

The technology has seen major breakthroughs in the medical community where it is used to get an accurate picture of a person's brain. Medtronic PLC MDT has been awarded neurotech patents for discovering ways to measure brain lesions using electroencephalography.

Other Uses

However the most surprising part of SharpBrains' study was the revelation that more and more recreational uses are being explored as well, suggesting that the future of technology may be tapping into people's brains.

The analysis showed that Nielsen NLSN appeared to be leading the pack when it comes to neurotech development, but other companies like Microsoft Corp MSFT were also looking for ways to get inside a user's mind.

Mind Over Matter

Many patents focus on using brain activity to enhance a person's experience using technology. Microsoft is exploring ways to measure a user's attention and effectively present information based on their level of focus.

NeuroSky wants to use the technology to create headphones that play music based on the wearer's mood.

When Will Neurotech Hit Markets?

While most agree that the technology is still a long way from making it into the hands of the average consumer, Portuguese tech company Tekever has already created a system that allows pilots to fly drones that they control with their minds.

The company's COO Ricardo Mendes says he can see this type of technology making its way to mainstream aviation in the next 10 years.