Picking one panel to write a preview article over was quite difficult as so many interesting and creative people are taking part in SXSWi this year. When looking over the list, one panel grabbed my attention immediately and so starts this preview. Welcome to Your Posthuman Future features the brilliant mind of Thor Muller who was the co-founder of Rubyred Labs and is the current CEO and co-founder of Get Satisfaction. The title of Thor’s panel may sound odd when taking into account his previous internet ventures but this one is a creative, although fictitious, demonstration on the future of brain-computer interface devices and their someday possible implementation. The panel promises stunning demonstrations of the neural implant and its utilization in common everyday tasks. Brain-computer interface devices have been studied for decades as a way to help people with things such as loss of sight, hearing and movement. The technology is still under heavy development and different implant locations are still being studied from the grey matter of the brain to outside of the skull. Thor Muller plans on demonstrating the device’s uses in a more mainstream and non-government funded sense, with insight into the technology’s possible future use and market. Here is an example of one type of a brain-computer interface system.

The panel takes place on Tuesday, March 17 at 5 p.m. in room 9.