Kurt Knutsson discusses new technology developed by researchers who have created a portable, non-invasive system that can decode silent thoughts and turn them into text. Imagine if you could communicate with anyone without saying a word, just by thinking. That's the promise of a new technology developed by researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), who have created a portable, non-invasive system that can decode silent thoughts and turn them into text. CLICK TO GET KURT'S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS, AND EASY HOW-TO'S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER The technology, called DeWave, uses an electroencephalogram (EEG) cap to record electrical brain activity through the scalp. It then uses an artificial intelligence (AI) model to segment the EEG wave into distinct units that capture specific characteristics and patterns from the human brain.

Mind-reading technologies pose a "real danger" of discrimination and bias, the Information Commissioner's Office has warned, as it develops specific guidance for companies working in the sci-fi field of neurodata. The use of technology to monitor information coming directly from the brain and nervous system "will become widespread over the next decade", the ICO said, as it moves from a highly regulated medical advancement to a more general purpose technology. It is already being explored for potential applications in personal wellbeing, sport and marketing, and even for workplace monitoring. The current state-of-the-art in the field is demonstrated by individuals like Gert-Jan Oskam, a 40-year-old Dutch man who was paralysed in a cycling accident 12 years ago. In May, electronic implants in his brain gave him the ability to walk. "To many, the idea of neurotechnology conjures up images of science fiction films, but this technology is real and it is developing rapidly," said Stephen Almond, the ICO's executive director of regulatory risk.

It's raining on your walk to the station after work, but you don't have an umbrella. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a rain jacket in a shop window. You think to yourself: "A rain jacket like that would be perfect for weather like this." Later, as you're scrolling on Instagram on the train, you see a similar-looking jacket. You take a closer look.

Our minds may no longer be a safe haven for secrets. Scientists are working toward building mind-reading algorithms that could potentially decode our innermost thoughts through memories that act as a database. For most, this probably sounds like an episode of Netflix's hit series Black Mirror. The dystopian sci-fi thriller recently showcased a chilling episode called "Crocodile" that used memory-reading techniques to investigate accidents for insurance purposes. The eerie episode is set in an AI-driven world of driverless vehicles and facial recognition technologies. The plot of "Crocodile" centers on the icy crimes of a witness that investigators revealed with help from intelligent technology.