Pinch me, one of my wildest dreams has just become a jaw-dropping reality, all thanks to the sheer brilliance of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student named Arnav Kapur.
Kapur was recently featured on an episode of 60 Minutes for conjuring up something that seemed to have come from a sci-fi film. The student, whose work specialises in the media lab, recently invented a mind-reading device he called “AlterEgo.” Using the technology, Kapur can surf the internet, order food, and make phone calls all by simply thinking about the action—it’s a concept he calls “telepathic web browsing.”
No more typing or talking, just think about the command you want to be processed, and voilĂ , the internet responds with secret vibrations. Can we take a moment to let that sink in, please?
This revolutionary device is worn on Kapur’s head and operates by interpreting specific commands or questions that the user vocalises internally.
Sitting with one of the journalists from 60 Minutes, Kapur casually asks the crew what kind of pizza toppings they’d like. Suspicious, as I think we’d all be, the interviewer responds with “pepperoni.” Time goes by and just as the team are about to leave, Kapur lets them know that their pizza has in fact arrived. Now this kind of technology I can get on board with.
Other impressive feats featured in the episode included Kapur being able to immediately gives mathematical answers such as “What’s 45,689 divided by 67” and the student being able to name the largest city in Bulgaria and give its population.
Forget Siri or Alexa, Kapur’s mind-boggling invention really got me thinking about the gripping British series, Years and Years. Remember the mind-control episode where one of the characters implanted a chip in her head to gain limited knowledge? Well, Arnav’s AI-powered AlterEgo feels like a glimpse into a future that’s closer than we could have ever imagined.
This tech prodigy is no stranger to the spotlight. In fact, Kapur has been enlightening audiences with TED talks for a long time now, passionately sharing his vision of AI becoming an extension of our very minds. Who needs a laptop when you’ve got an AlterEgo?
We really are stepping into a mind-boggling era of technology. With just a single thought, our brains can connect to the vast internet realm. The possibilities are beyond imagination, and Kapur is at the forefront of this epic journey.