Mind-reading technology is able to transcribe people's thoughts

A new study put three people in MRI machines and got them to listen to stories and experts were able to produce a rolling text of people's thoughts, based on the blood flow in their brain.

The mind-reading tech did not totally replicate the stories, but captured the important points.

The findings have raised concerns about 'mental privacy', as it could be a step forward in being able to eavesdrop on the thoughts of others.

Jerry Tang, lead author of the study from the University of Texas at Austin, admits that it could be "misused".

He said: "We take very seriously the concerns that it could be used for bad purposes. And we want to dedicate a lot of time moving forward to try to avoid that.

"I think, right now, while the technology is in such an early stage, it's important to be proactive and get a head-start on, for one, enacting policies that protect people's mental privacy, giving people a right to their thoughts and their brain data.

"We want to make sure that people only use these when they want to, and that it helps them."

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