When Personal Computers Go Brain Computer Interface: The Disruption to come

Definition

Brain Computer Interface or BCI for short is what you call that technology that enables you to interface with the computer or the machine or the system, with your brain, or precisely, your thought, rather, than with your fingers.

It means, rather than typing a letter, a word, a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph or an essay or even a book on your computer, you think it, and the computer does for you. Instead of navigating the various functions on the tool bars on your PowerPoint to design your presentation, you think it, and the computer does it.

Why is this BIG?

When Personal Computers or rather laptops went touchscreen, to be honest, there was no difference, let alone any room for disruption. You touch the screen, instead of the keyboard, and much of the functions of the keyboard, could not really easily be replaced, and the durability of the keyboard, versus those on mobile phones previous, remained more reliable for laptop users.

When you don't need to touch anything though, it is a different matter, besides the computers becoming more idiot proof in terms of wear and tear propensities (since you are not supposed to touch things as much).

What stands to be Disrupted?

1. The mouse - Goodbye rodent!

2. The Keyboard - Typing is finally history, long after the typewriter

3. IT and Software Training Industry - You don't need to learn how to use MS Office, Adobe Suite and so on anymore, because you think what you want done, and the computer does it, by reading and responding to your thought. No skill needed! What are all those trainers and training businesses going to do? I know, something else!

4. Graphic Artistes, Digital Media Designers and Other Creatives - You can create your own content, any way you want, by telling your computer what you want and how you want it appear. In fact, you picture the end product in your mind and it gets executed by the computer. Be it a presentation slide deck, collateral for marketing in all forms, an annual report, illustration for your book cover, a website and so on. No talent needed!

5. How can you forget that mousepad without which the external mouse won't work, after you've ruined that Touchpad with rough use like I always to do on my laptops?!

6. That reminds me. No more Touchpad.

The Future

Commercial BCI devices or products have been available since 2007, albeit simplistic, rudimentary and with limited function. Yet for things like prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs and exoskeleton suits, BCI has made massive strides in delivering life-changing impacts for the handicapped or disabled, who can afford it at this point in time.

It is a matter of time, when your PC makers, will compete on this new level. Like Google Glass, because of its disruptive potential, BCI PCs will face massive resistance. Remember though, your HMDs will return, triumphant, and become commonplace, eventually, soon enough. Same is will go, for BCI PCs.

Harish Shah is Singapore's first local born Professional Futurist and a Management Strategy Consultant. He runs Stratserv Consultancy. His areas of consulting and Keynote Topics include EmTech, Industry 4.0, HR, Digital Transformation, Product Development, X Reality, Marketing, Strategic Foresight, Systems Thinking and Organisational Future Proofing.