Why do illusions occur? Can brain waves move things? Introducing the wonders of the brain and its unknown possibilities

At “Brain World 2024 for Everyone: Super Diversity,” visitors can come into contact with cutting-edge research results from various companies, universities, and research institutes that are working to realize a neuro-diverse society. The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT CiNet) will introduce “Your World as Seen by the Brain” and “Brainwave Racing Game”. Nanako Ishido, Director of B Lab (Photo 3), who is promoting the “Brain World for Everyone” exhibition, spoke with Hideki Kashiwaoka, Director of NICT CiNet, and Masaru Nishizutsumi, Research Scientist, about the contents of the exhibits.

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Hideki Kashiwaoka
(Director, Brain Information and Communication Integration Research Center, Future ICT Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT))

Masaru Nishitsutsumi
(Researcher, Brain Information and Communication Integration Research Center, Future ICT Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT))

The world we see with our eyes is an image created by our brain
Experience the gap between reality and

Ishido: “‘Your World as Seen by the Brain’ and ‘Brainwave Racing Game’ are both very interesting. What are their contents?

Kashiwaoka: “We think we ‘understand’ the situation around us based on what we see with our eyes, but in fact, we do not see it very properly. The situation we perceive with our eyes is ‘an image created by the brain,’ and in fact, it may not always match the actual characteristics.

At the booth, visitors can experience through experiments using optical illusions that the subjective perception of “too many or too few” can cause a discrepancy with the actual number, that whether we perceive a rhythm as fast or slow depends on the situation, and that the way we see people’s faces can easily appear to be distorted.

If we can elucidate the mechanisms and reasons for the differences between the world as seen by the brain and the actual situation, we will be able to clearly understand “what parts of information need to be conveyed exactly” and “what parts are important and what parts can be omitted” when conveying information to others. The content of the exhibit is also connected to the concept of NICT CiNet, which is to use information from the brain to communicate information effectively.

Another exhibit is the “Brainwave Racing Game. This exhibit allows visitors to enjoy racing by controlling the speed of a racing car using alpha waves, whose signals become smaller when the driver concentrates.

Ishido: “Could you be more specific about the first question, “Your world as seen by the brain”?

Mr. Nishitsutsumi: “For example, in an exhibit where visitors can experience the discrepancy between the subjective notion of ‘too many or too few’ and the actual number, two sets are presented in front of them. There are countless dots in those sets. After seeing an image in which the number of dots in the left set is obviously small and the number of dots in the right set is large, when you see an image in which the number of dots in the left and right sets are the same, you may end up feeling that “the left set has more dots. This is the booth where you can have such an experience” (▲Photo 1▲/▲Photo 2▲)

Ishido: “We have had various discussions with NICT CiNet members about the contents of the exhibition. You also have various other experiences to visualize your unconscious state of mind. For example, the experience of understanding one’s state of mind by measuring one’s reaction speed to positive and negative news also gave us many ideas for future use. It was also very interesting to experience the difference in reaction speed between people to red letters and blue letters that say “red” and “red,” respectively. In “Your World as Seen by the Brain,” it is said that the human brain is easily deceived. Has the mechanism been elucidated?

Mr. Nishitsutsumi: “Actually, we don’t really know. So at the booth, we will try to convey a message such as, ‘This is how we feel, but the reason is not yet clear. I hope that you will grow up and figure it out.

How far hasbrain information and brain tech researchadvanced now?

Ishido: “We often hear that scientific understanding of the whole brain is not yet advanced. On the other hand, BrainTech research has made considerable progress. I would like to ask you two researchers on brain information about the latest status of BrainTech. For example, could you tell us about NICT CiNet’s cutting-edge efforts to expand each person’s physical capabilities by working directly with the brain through technology?

Kashiwaoka: “I would like to introduce some of the NICT CiNet technologies that have actually been implemented in society so far, including a commercial evaluation system. First, we ask people to watch a video, measure their brain activity at that time, and accumulate data on how and where they reacted to the video. By having the AI learn a vast amount of such data, it will be able to estimate brain activity. Furthermore, once brain activity is measured, the system will be able to estimate what kind of images are being shown.

NTT DATA offers a system that can predict the likability, purchase intention, and likability factors of a new product from its commercial images before it goes on the air, and it is already being used by about 200 companies in their commercial production. The system is already being used by about 200 companies in commercial production.

https://www.nttdata.com/global/ja/news/services_info/2019/070400

Another relates to human aging. When you tell a young child or an elderly person to ‘raise your right hand,’ they are likely to raise their left hand along with it. This is because the right and left brains are connected, and when you say, “Raise your right hand,” the signal is transmitted to both the right and left brains. However, it is believed that as we age, the ability to inhibit this tendency weakens and we tend to raise our left hand together with the right. Based on this idea, Mizuno has devised an exercise program that enhances the ability to inhibit, and is offering it to facilities for the elderly and for rehabilitation.”

https://sports-service.mizuno.jp/program/lalalafit

Ishido: “Very interesting, I think it is wonderful that NTT Data’s system has been installed in 200 companies, but I wonder if there is a big difference.

Kashiwaoka: “It is difficult to make a perfect comparison, but it seems that the impressions are quite different. In the case of cosmetics, we have also seen an increase in sales by conducting the same impression evaluation not only on commercials but also on POP pictures on the sales floor,” says Kashiwaoka.

Ishido: “The range of applications will expand to include not only commercials but also marketing research. You mentioned two research results that have already been put to practical use. At the research level, for example, how far have you progressed in the research often expressed in the world of science fiction, such as projecting images of what people think in their brains so that they can be shared with others?

Kashiwaoka: “Currently, it is believed that it is possible to retrieve images that people are imagining to some extent, although it is necessary to have them enter the MRI to image them. In the U.S., an experiment was conducted in which subjects were asked to recall a painting they had seen in a museum in an MRI, and their brain activity was measured to see if the painting could be reproduced. I have heard that the highest reproducibility was about 80%. However, since it uses an MRI device, it remains to be seen whether it can be used in daily life, but the technology has advanced to that level.

Advanced brain information research and
neurodiversity have in common are

Ishido: “It is truly a world like science fiction. How do you think about this in NICT CiNet?

Nishitsutsumi: “I am a researcher specializing in philosophy of mind and brain neuroethics, and when the NICT CiNet technology to read perceptual information from brain data was released to the outside world, I gathered nearly 20 experts from the outside, including legal scholars, sociologists, and scientists, and established a committee to discuss ethical considerations. The committee, which included researchers, developers, and companies, compiled a set of guidelines on how ethical considerations should be taken into account, and we believe that these are probably the first guidelines for reading perceptual information from brain data in Japan.

Ishido: “I think ethics differ from culture to culture, and how to accept technology also differs from country to country, but what about other countries?”

Nishitsutsumi: “Especially in Europe, there is a growing movement to protect privacy, and as the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) progresses in a way that optimizes the protection of personal information, Japan is following suit.

Ishido: “What kind of society is NICT CiNet aiming to realize through the advancement of brain information technology? For example, 2050, or even further into the future is fine. How will human life change?

Kashiwaoka: “The premise is to enrich human life, and to use brain functions for that purpose. For example, there is the issue of energy. The human brain is thought to be very energy efficient, with many brain cell neurons but functioning in an energy-controlled manner. Comparing it to information equipment, we currently use a lot of information equipment and consume a huge amount of energy, but we believe that we can reduce energy consumption by adopting the brain’s method of energy consumption. We also believe that by incorporating the way the human brain thinks, the methods used in the brain, and the way the brain handles things, we will be able to create something that is friendly to people.

Our goal is to realize “CiNet Brain,” a general-purpose artificial intelligence with a human mind, in 2050 or beyond. Like the commercial evaluation system I mentioned earlier, CiNet Brain 1.0 will retrieve images from the human brain. In CiNet Brain 3.0, physicality will be added, and in CiNet Brain 4.0, the mind will be taken into account as well, and that is what we are working toward.

Ishido: “As NICT CiNet, please let us know if you have any thoughts on how we can take such an approach to realize a neuro-diverse society, or if you think this kind of technology could be more useful.

Kashiwaoka: “One of our research members is working to understand the mechanism that enables blind soccer players to perform so many physical activities. This research is based on the idea that if we can understand this, we can also understand how to train people who are blind so that they can improve their physical function and athletic ability, which will make their daily lives easier. Also, as I mentioned earlier, we hope to produce something that will cover the decline of the elderly. From this perspective, I feel that we have something in common with the concept of neurodiversity.

Ishido: “One more question: are you also researching techniques that can control pain through direct action on the brain?”

Kashiwaoka: “Sometimes it is difficult to express the intensity of pain to others. I once analyzed a patient with chronic pain by looking at his brain activity to see why he had pain. We found that pain is partly understood when a certain network in the brain is activated, and we thought that if we could suppress the activity of that network, or if we could activate it and deter the movement of pain, we might be able to alleviate some of the pain of those who are suffering. I’m thinking that we can help ease the pain of those who are suffering.”

Ishido: “At this year’s exhibition, there are many exhibits that challenge the verbalization of pain and exhibits related to sensory hypersensitivity. While there are people suffering from hypersensitivity, I thought that it would be technically possible in the future to alleviate hypersensitivity of the five senses.”

Kashiwaoka: “There are many different kinds of pain, and we believe that we can use our knowledge and experience to work on the pain that is created in the head in the future. We would like to work comprehensively in cooperation with various people.

Ishido: “I am looking forward to technological progress. On the other hand, there were various opinions about the case of Mr. Peter Scott Morgan, who has ALS and has been made into a cyborg himself. While I think it is important to alleviate the difficulty of living for each individual through the power of technology, the rapid pace of technological progress also makes me think about the individual’s personality and the meaning of life. May I have a word or two to close this interview?

Nishitsutsumi: “NICT CiNet is exploring various aspects of the human brain. In the process of social implementation of its research results, for example, we may find new insights and possibilities from the perspective of neurodiversity. Therefore, we are very grateful for the opportunity to participate in an exhibition such as this one.

Kashiwaoka: “We study brain activity with a focus on humans, and we are always thinking about how we can utilize the results in society and in our daily lives. At that time, I hope that you will look at our achievements from the viewpoint of neurodiversity and pull out the possibilities of ‘this kind of utilization'” Ishido: “On that point, I hope that many people involved in neurodiversity, including myself, will be exposed to the latest research results of brain information and explore the possibilities together. I hope that many people involved in neurodiversity, including myself, will be exposed to the latest research results of brain information so that we can explore the possibilities together. Thank you very much.”