As with many emerging technologies, there are limitations and concerns, and brain-sensing wearable devices are no exception. This is especially the case since this technology involves direct access to our brains and our thoughts.
Limitations
bandwidth
According to Elon Musk, non-invasive brain-sensing devices lack the bandwidth to send a strong signal from the brain to devices, hence why most devices of this type have only been used for tracking and monitoring. In addition to lack of bandwidth, brain-sensing devices worn externally are susceptible to signal interference from having other electronics nearby or even having your hair being too thick that it is not creating a strong connection with the skull. The emergence and increased accessibility to 5G in the future may help resolve this issue as it will increase the bandwidth and transfer speed of data. Until the bandwidth issue is resolved, the potential of brain-sensing wearable devices will not be met.
Accuracy
The brain is very complex and scientists are still discovering how all the parts of our brain work. Brain-sensing devices do their best to interpret the signals sent from the brain but they may not always be accurate. The YouTube video demonstrates the limitations of brain-sensing devices when it tries to interpret images a person is seeing based on their brainwaves. The scientists needed to "cheat" to get more accurate results but the initial test demonstrated that the technology is not sophisticated enough yet to read our minds completely accurately and follow our commands fully.
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TED (2018)
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Cost
Companies have made wireless brain-sensing technology more affordable than before but a basic EEG wireless headset that only monitors brain and body activity such as the Muse still costs upwards of $300 USD. Many of the other headsets and implantation devices are still in the prototype phase so no price has been set yet but with the research and development involved with the technology, the price will more than likely exceed that of the Muse.
Concerns
Privacy and data security
When a device's main purpose is to read our minds, privacy and security are obviously huge concerns. The risk of companies selling your information to third-parties is a concern as information coming straight from your brain may be more private than the information you provide when you go onto social media platforms. In addition, if hackers gained access to the servers, they would have full access to your thoughts and find out any information they please without you even realizing it.
If Elon Musk's vision comes true and everyone becomes connected through Neuralink, users may feel that they are constantly under surveillance and it won't just be their physical movements that are being watched, but their thoughts as well. This may lead to a scenario like in the movie, "Minority Report", where people are found guilty for crimes before they are even committed. If the government takes control of the technology, then the situation in George Orwell's novel "1984" comes true and Big Brother will always be watching and listening and not even your thoughts are safe.
If Elon Musk's vision comes true and everyone becomes connected through Neuralink, users may feel that they are constantly under surveillance and it won't just be their physical movements that are being watched, but their thoughts as well. This may lead to a scenario like in the movie, "Minority Report", where people are found guilty for crimes before they are even committed. If the government takes control of the technology, then the situation in George Orwell's novel "1984" comes true and Big Brother will always be watching and listening and not even your thoughts are safe.
Health
With invasive brain-sensing devices, health is a concern as it requires users to implant a device into their brain. Not only is the implantation process a health concern due to the fact that it is essentially brain surgery, but how the brain tissues interact with the implanted device after the surgery is also a concern. So far, testing of these devices has only been conducted on animals so the short-term and long-term health effects on humans will be a concern once testing advances from animals to humans. Non-invasive brain-sensing technologies have health issues as well with users complaining of headaches, visual disturbances, and even burns.