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Exactly. The visual system produces a very stable activation pattern, relative to other senses and multidimensional objects. The noise inherent in those other s

by robg 18y ago

Exactly. The visual system produces a very stable activation pattern, relative to other senses and multidimensional objects. The noise inherent in those other systems is probably the best protection of our inner privacy. There simply isn't a code to be read because there's little systematicity from one moment, or person, to the next. The visual system is as good as it gets and even then only when you're looking at a prescribed object. In other words, ignore the PR about downloading thoughts and dreams. We can decode some stuff from fMRI activity patterns but we're soon swamped by noise, even when using machine learning techniques. The data just isn't there. It's like trying to predict the weather two weeks from now. The system is inherently noisy.

robg 18y ago
For instance, here's a seminal paper predicting which category (faces, place, object) was going to be recalled from studied pictures and a second or two before it was actually recalled: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/310/5756/1963.pdf?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Polyn&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/310/5756/1963.pdf?maxt... Still, that's a big difference from predicting (or mindreading) the particular item. And here's a good review of that and similar work: http://polyn.com/struct/NormEtal06_TICS.pdf http://polyn.com/struct/NormEtal06_TICS.pdf
- aswanson 18y ago
  Do you have any publications of your research online?
  - robg 18y ago
    Been meaning to put a home page together. Here are two empirical reports: http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/26/18/4917 http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/26/18/4917 http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/27/14/3790 http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/27/14/3790 And here's a review: http://www.psych.upenn.edu/stslab/assets/pdf/TS_CONB05.pdf http://www.psych.upenn.edu/stslab/assets/pdf/TS_CONB05.pdf Happy to answer questions at grob AT mass inst tech
Eliezer 18y ago
I knew you'd say that.

by robg 18y ago

robg 18y ago

For instance, here's a seminal paper predicting which category (faces, place, object) was going to be recalled from studied pictures and a second or two before it was actually recalled: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/310/5756/1963.pdf?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Polyn&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/310/5756/1963.pdf?maxt... Still, that's a big difference from predicting (or mindreading) the particular item. And here's a good review of that and similar work: http://polyn.com/struct/NormEtal06_TICS.pdf http://polyn.com/struct/NormEtal06_TICS.pdf

aswanson 18y ago
Do you have any publications of your research online?
- robg 18y ago
  Been meaning to put a home page together. Here are two empirical reports: http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/26/18/4917 http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/26/18/4917 http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/27/14/3790 http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/27/14/3790 And here's a review: http://www.psych.upenn.edu/stslab/assets/pdf/TS_CONB05.pdf http://www.psych.upenn.edu/stslab/assets/pdf/TS_CONB05.pdf Happy to answer questions at grob AT mass inst tech

Eliezer 18y ago

I knew you'd say that.