You know that tune you hum to yourself in your head? Or maybe that song that is stuck in your brain? Now, thanks to MRI researchers, you can play that for everyone around you. Dan Loyd and researchers at Trinity College have developed a media player for your brain.
Using MRI images to study active parts of the brain during various tasks or thoughts, pitches are asigned to different regions. These are then used to generate notes played at varying intensities to match the intensity of the active brain region.
While this may seem fun and whimsical, the motivation for this work is much more serious. Lloyd is comparing scans of volunteers with dementia and schizophrenia patients to gain insight into unlocking the mysteries of these conditions.
New Scientist : Eavesdropping on the music of the brain
Trinity College: Dan Lloyd
(hat tip to Gizmodo)