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Facebook to buy tech start-up working on mind control technology

It’s the latest in a series of announcements from Facebook about virtual and augmented reality technology.

TECH GIANT FACEBOOK announced it has made a deal with a start-up company working on technology that will allow users to make computer commands using their mind instead of more traditional methods like taps and keystrokes. 

CTRL-Labs will become part of Facebook Reality Labs with an aim of perfecting the technology and building it into consumer products, according to Andrew Bosworth, vice president of augmented reality and virtual reality at the social media company. 

“We spend a lot of time trying to get our technology to do what we want rather than enjoying the people around us. We know there are more natural, intuitive ways to interact with devices and technology,” he said in a post online. 

Bosworth explained that the wristband will decode electrical impulses such as those sent to hand muscles telling them to move certain ways, such as clicking a computer mouse or pressing a button.

“The vision for this work is a wristband that lets people control their devices as a natural extension of movement. Here’s how it’ll work: You have neurons in your spinal cord that send electrical signals to your hand muscles telling them to move in specific ways such as to click a mouse or press a button.

“The wristband will decode those signals and translate them into a digital signal your device can understand, empowering you with control over your digital life. It captures your intention so you can share a photo with a friend using an imperceptible movement or just by, well, intending to.”

He spoke of how thought-commanded interactions might dramatically alter how people experience augmented or virtual reality scenarios, which currently feature hand-held controls.

Facebook did not disclose financial terms of the deal to buy the New York-based CTRL-labs, but unconfirmed media reports said it paid more than $500 million.

After Facebook bought virtual-reality gear startup Oculus in early 2014 in a deal valued at $2 billion, its chief Mark Zuckerberg heralded the technology as the next major computing platform.

Oculus has since built a line of virtual reality gear, pushing down the price and eliminating the need to be plugged in to a computer with its Quest VR headset.

In Early 2017, Facebook announced projects aimed at allowing users to use their minds to type messages or their skin to hear words.

The projects were the focus of a team of scientists, engineers, and system integrators with a goal of “creating a system capable of typing 100 words-per-minute straight from your brain,” Facebook said at the time.

Such brain-computer interface technology currently involves implanting electrodes, but Facebook wanted to use sensors that could be worn to eliminate the need to surgically intrude on the brain.

Such technology could for example let people fire off text messages or emails by thinking, instead of needing to interrupt what they are doing to use smartphone touchscreens.

© AFP 2019  

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    Mute Alan Hayes
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:13 PM

    It was savage craic. People travelled from all over Ireland, several from US and many from UK & rest of Europe. Donations to Irish Cancer Society, the only group providing Night Nurse service to terminal cancer patients at home. Proud to have been involved.

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    Mute Crístóir Ó Duinn
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:02 PM

    Perfect weather for a ginger convention too, overcast.

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 9:13 PM

    Lot of copper tops

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    Mute Darren Doyle
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:51 PM

    Nothing sexier than a woman with red hair

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:59 PM

    I dunno…. dat sheep!

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:50 PM

    Oh she’s lovely !!!

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    Mute Rumpelstiltskin
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:50 PM

    First they meet up….then they plot the take over

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    Mute The Girl
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 2:59 PM

    The only pure Irish…Ginger, Porcelain skin, Freckle face :-). Gingers Rule.

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    Mute kieran fitzgerald
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:04 PM

    Sure they are, let’s just ignore that the original inhabitants of this Little rock came up from Iberia shall we and go with some Victorian notion of racial purity.

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    Mute The Girl
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:15 PM

    Relax @Kieran…life’s too short.

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    Mute Ted Murray
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:20 PM

    We should have an annual begrudgery festival :p

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    Mute An_Beal_Bocht
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 10:38 AM

    It’s thought red heads were of Norman royalty origin, Henry VIII was a flaming ginger. The native Gaelic were most likely dark haired

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    Mute Tomás Ó Briain
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 4:13 PM

    Bloody redheads! They think that they’re smarter just because they’ve got higher IQs!

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    Mute Gary Heslin
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:29 PM

    Have to agree with “The Girl” kieran relax life is way way too short..give someone a hug.

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    Mute dublinlad
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 2:45 PM

    The king looks bald to me?

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    Mute BERTIE
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:59 PM

    Slap head gathering

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    Mute voice of raisin
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 5:32 PM

    Funny, I was told that not one soul turned up…

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    Mute Chris Nolan
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    Mar 24th 2017, 3:50 PM

    @voice of raisin: Nice dad joke, go back to watching two and half men.

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    Mute Tomás Ó Briain
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 4:12 PM

    Bloody redheads! Think that they’re smarter than everyone else just because they’ve got higher IQs.

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    Mute Ailbhe Gator
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 5:05 PM

    The redheaded queen looks quite brunette in that picture

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    Mute manbearpig
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 3:54 PM

    Day walkers

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    Mute Chris Nolan
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    Mar 24th 2017, 3:58 PM

    @manbearpig: South park called they want their shit jokes back.

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    Mute John Judd
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 8:27 PM

    Gingers are hot ;)

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    Mute Mindfulirish
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 4:29 PM

    God help them — mutant be able to afford blonde dye.

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    Mute Chris Nolan
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    Mar 24th 2017, 3:53 PM

    @Mindfulirish: I hope you dye.

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    Mute JJ O Riordan
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 9:55 PM

    They don’t like being singled out, yet they have a convention

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    Mute Stuart Kelly
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    Aug 22nd 2016, 8:33 PM

    New research concludes that gingers have no souls.

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    Mute Chris Nolan
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    Mar 24th 2017, 4:07 PM

    @Stuart Kelly: I’ve got two soles, hows about i shove one of them up your smelly old arse.

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