Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has hinted that his company is making strides in developing its first “consumer neural interfaces” — wearable devices that can interpret brain signals to control computers.
Unlike Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip, Zuckerberg explained that these devices won’t be invasive; instead, they’ll be wearable on the wrist and capable of reading neural signals sent from the brain to the hand.
- Meta’s Breakthrough in Neural Wearables: Mark Zuckerberg hints at Meta’s progress in developing wearable devices capable of interpreting brain signals.
- Wearable Technology Revolution: Meta’s exploration into neural technology marks a significant advancement.
- Exciting Prospects for Neural Interfaces: Zuckerberg’s enthusiasm about the internal testing of neural interfaces signals promising developments in the field.
- Future Integration with Augmented Reality: Meta envisions its neural wristband technology overcoming the limitations of gesture tracking, potentially integrating with its Ray-Ban augmented reality smart glasses, promising an immersive user experience.
- AI Integration and Smart Glasses: Zuckerberg highlights Meta’s focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into smart glasses, enabling multi-modal interaction and advanced functionalities.
- Legislative Response to Neurotechnology: Lawmakers in the United States are taking proactive steps to address privacy concerns surrounding neurotechnology.
Meta embarked on its journey into neural technology in March 2021 with discussions about “wrist-based interaction” as part of Facebook Reality Labs Research. The company’s wristband employs electromyography (EMG) to interpret brain signals linked to hand gestures. It then translates these signals into commands for controlling devices like glasses or other computing devices.
During an interview with tech entrepreneur Roberto Nickson, Zuckerberg expressed excitement about the progress made in developing these neural interfaces. Although the product hasn’t been rolled out yet, internal testing has been promising, indicating the potential for exciting advancements in the field.
Earlier this year, Zuckerberg mentioned the possibility of the neural wristband becoming a consumer product within a few years. He envisions this technology overcoming the limitations of camera-based gesture tracking, potentially integrating with Meta’s Ray-Ban augmented reality smart glasses.
Speaking about Meta’s smart glasses, Zuckerberg emphasized the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) as a standout feature. He highlighted the advancement of multi-modal AI, enabling users to interact with the glasses. This will not only be available through text or voice but also by analyzing their surroundings and providing relevant information.
Meanwhile, in the United States, lawmakers are taking steps to address privacy concerns surrounding neurotechnology. The Protect Privacy of Biological Data Act, was recently passed in Colorado. The legislation expands the definition of “sensitive data” to encompass biological and neural data.
This reflects a growing awareness of the necessity to safeguard privacy in this emerging field. On the technology front, Meta has unveiled a new version of Meta AI. This assistant operates across its applications and glasses. He announced upgrades to Meta AI with the new “state-of-the-art Llama 3 AI model,” which will be open-sourced for further development and innovation.
Disclaimer
FAQ
Meta's new device is a wearable that interprets brain signals to control computers without requiring invasive surgery, designed to be worn on the wrist.
Unlike Neuralink's brain chip, Meta's device is non-invasive and operates through sensors worn on the wrist, avoiding direct brain implants.
Meta envisions that their wearable neural interfaces will greatly enhance user interactions with augmented reality and other computing devices by interpreting neural signals.
With the rise of neural technology, U.S. lawmakers are addressing privacy with new legislation, ensuring data protection in the use of such advanced technologies.
