Reshared post from +John Skeats

Direct Brain-to-Brain Communication Performed Over the Internet

Researchers developed a means for two people to communicate over the Internet using brain-to-brain communications using specially devised sensor "caps." In four separate tests, a person in India was able to send a string of 140 bits (1s or 0s) to people in France with a high degree of accuracy. 

The sender wore a BCI (brain to computer interface) "cap" with sensors that detected activity in specific areas of the brain. The receivers wore CBI (computer to brain interface) caps that activated specific areas of their brains. Signals between the BCI and CBI computers were sent over the Internet. The full details are in the paper referenced below.

While sending only 140 bits is not earthshaking, this experiment opens the door to extremely exciting possibilities. Much work needs to be done, of course, but imagine the implications if people could converse with each other by quite literally sharing their thoughts. Add to that the possibility of being able to interact with computers by thought alone. Those could yield greater changes than perhaps all of the technology advances since the invention of the first computer combined.