Scientists extract images directly from the brain

Researchers at the ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Japan have successfully extracted images from inside a person's mind.

The researchers first showed subjects 400 black and white simple still images,while modelling the blood flow in various parts of their brain using fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
The subjects where then showed a completely new set of images,
(the letters N-E-U-R-O-N in the word "neuron", among others)
while still connected to the fMRI scanner, and by feeding the output through a computer they were able to reconstruct the image that the subject was viewing from inside their mind, which was then projected onto a computer screen.

Although the images in the experiment were extremely simple and rudimentary, the researchers say that they will soon be able to refine the technology so that it will eventually be possible to visualize people's dreams while they are sleeping !