China develops porn-detection helmet that reads mind waves for censorship functions

WTF?! China, usually at the forefront of Orwellian surveillance technologies, has produced a product that detects when another person is observing pornography, a pastime that has been unlawful in the country considering the fact that 1949.

As noted by the SCMP (by using Hackaday), China takes advantage of a mixture of AI bots and human appraisers, called Jian Huang shi, most of whom are females, to research the website for pictures and determine if they contain explicit material considered illegal. But tiredness and overexposure suggest even these safeguards do not end each little bit of x-rated substance from slipping via the cracks.

This is your brain on porn

Researchers at Beijing Jiaotong University developed a way to potentially make everyday living less complicated for the appraisers. The anti-porn helmet, or wire-coated shower cap, to be extra correct, can detect spikes in human brainwaves that take place when we see specific images. It can even dismiss brain waves induced by other actions, these as feelings, weariness, or even random thoughts.

Scientists have tested the machine on 15 male volunteers aged 20-25, where it worked every time they saw some thing that could be classed as porn. However, there were some untrue positives, which had been blamed on a absence of enough education material—what with pornography staying unlawful in China and all. You will find also a concern above regardless of whether it will function just as well on the largely feminine Jian Huang shi.

The thought at the rear of the helmet is that appraisers could be revealed a large selection of photos in rapid succession, and the gadget will quickly log any that are way too naughty for the state, somewhat than the appraisers slowly and gradually clicking by means of each and every one particular and selecting if it truly is too hot to deal with.

But there are worries about the device's employs exterior of this situation. Some Chinese factories use mind surveillance gadgets by means of screens in helmets to make improvements to productivity and lower worksite mishaps. There are no legislation limiting what information they can acquire, so who is aware exactly where this kind of issue could direct.