We at Nanalyze believe the Fourth Industrial Revolution--the convergence of all kinds of cool technology with our economic, social and even biological systems--is the most exciting time to be alive since at least the invention of Ziploc storage bags and the TV dinner (both in 1954, by the way). Seriously, though, even our imaginations sometimes struggle to dream of what humans will be capable of doing in the next 10 to 20 years. We write a lot about artificial intelligence (AI) and how it will transform the future through sheer computing power. But it's human intelligence, which AI aspires to mimic, where the potential of our species resides. The merger between mind and machine--usually referred to as the brain-computer interface--is not just a matter of time but possibly vital to our very evolution and survival.

The brainwave monitoring technology, also known as a brain-computer interface (BCI), previously reserved for research labs and hospital emergency rooms is on the brink of becoming as ubiquitous as bicycle helmets -- bolstering the maker movement devoted to brain-controlled gadgets. Brooklyn-based OpenBCI, which ran a successful Kickstarter last year to fund their electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets, is now offering pre-orders for their latest version, the UltraCortex Mark IV ($299 to $599), which has 61 electrode holders, reports PopSci. The equipment is research grade, which means it's sensitive enough to pick up brainwave activity in the motor and visual cortex, has a high data-sampling rate, and has electrodes that adhere to the 10-20 system, which is an internationally recognized pattern for electrode placement. Why would anyone want their own EEG headset, you ask? For starters, although tons of research is devoted to studying the brain -- including projects recently funded under Obama's Brain Initiative -- very little is known about how the organ works.