These 11 technologies want to hack your brains

Plenty of universities and research facilities are working on trippy mind-melding technology as well, including this brain-controlled drone from the University of Florida. The technology takes an abstract thought from your mind and uses it to move the drone up, down and back and forth via an EEG reading on a headset, similar to the way Emotiv helps you move objects with your mind. It seems like good timing for the university to get the word out about what it’s working on — the U.S. Defense Department, the same organization using drones to kill suspected terrorists from far away, has been on the lookout for new brain-controlled applications.

BrainsGate uses a technique to help those with headache disorders through neuro-stimulation of something called the sphenopalatine ganglion, which is a collection of nerve cells containing both autonomic nerves and sensory nerves and sends information to glands of the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, palate and upper pharynx believed to have a connection to cluster and migraine headaches. BrainsGate believes this technology also has the potential for treating central nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and stroke. The company is currently focusing on improving the outcome of patients suffering from ischemic stroke in a 24-hour window after onset of symptoms.

What brain hacking discussion would be complete without talking about the pills and potions some people swear can boost your I.Q. There are plenty of Silicon Valley startups hawking the internet brain pills known as nootropics. The Hollywood movie and subsequent television series “Limitless” took the idea to new extremes, suggesting whatever’s in them might give us superhuman memory and cognitive powers — even famed geneticist George Church has written on the subject.

The FDA seems okay for now with their growing proliferation in the U.S. (at least for the stuff containing Piracetam and 5-HTP; you’ll need a prescription for Modafinil), but it’s still not clear if the claims actually hold up for many of these “magic pills.”