Should employers be able to track your brain data? - researchers explore wearable brain technology at Summer Science exhibition

Would you share your brain data to save money on insurance? Should employers be able to track your brain data? These are some of the questions researchers from the University of Nottingham are asking visitors at this year’s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London, as they explore wearable consumer brain scanners.

The ‘Brain Team’ from the University of Nottingham’s School of Computer Science are demonstrating different types of wearable brain scanning devices and gathering people’s opinons on how they feel about using this new type of consumer neurotechnology.

Max Wilson, Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Nottingham has developed the exhibit, he said: “Personal brain scanners are already on the market and whilst they are still in their infancy compared to smartwatches early adopters are already starting to use them. Our research studies how people will use these devices to improve their lives, as well as exploring the emerging ethical concerns, data privacy, and social implications of the imminent future of living with these personal brain scanners.

"The Summer Science exhibition gives us the chance to investigate this directly with visitors and potential users of this technology through fun and interactive activities that we hope will make people think about how they might incorporate this technology into their own lives."