The MindLab Week 16 - WYOD + Brain sensing tech (Thought Wired)

So, this week is the end of Semester 1 of the course - hard to believe that 16 weeks have gone and that I have squeezed out SIX reasonably demanding assessments in that time ......to be honest not exactly sure how I managed to get this done.

Today's session introduced us to 'WYOD' - wear your own device:

Tan Le developed a computer interface to read user brainwaves to make it possible to control virtual objects. 

NZ company - Thought Wired - is the front runner in NZ in this. 

Why could we use this technology - monitoring behaviour; controlling behavior....This technology has been around for a long time - BUT what it looks like has changed..

From this - to this 

What applications are there of these tools for us? 

- gaming and entertainment 

- the way in which we can train ourselves in terms of mindfulness

- improve focus for education

- enhance education

How can you transfer thoughts and ideas if you have trouble communicating? Can technology assist? 

A key example is Stephen Hawking and how he manages to communicate with Motor Neurone Disease - as an assistive technology.

If we have the  ability to take brain waves and transfer them into digital signals / impulses you can just about do anything.

So can you do the reverse - transfer digital impulses images and language???

The research into brain to brain transfer using this technology - check out this freaky little clip  

The technology was available for us to have a go with - 

 Schira's brain being invaded!!

Session 16 - Part 2 - looking ahead to the next 16 weeks of learning and assessing - eeeeeeekkkk

What is research?

What makes a good research question? 

- is it researchable? - biggest make is the question is too broad.

Focus clearly on our own context - the narrower the better.

The research question should involve - 

 - general topic area 

- specific area of practice

- context - where and when 

Check the Unitec tutorials for conducting research.

Check Week 17 and 21 for examples.

Advice is: 

- not to quote secondary sources - lose the fidelity of the source - for the formal literature review.

- not to use footnotes but in text citations

- use APA

- cite for paraphrasing

- indirect quotes and paraphrasing is what is needed for lit review