Full disclosure: some of us are closet Luddites who run for the hills anytime technology changes life as we know it. So, naturally, we broke out the pitch forks and torches when we read that a company called Ambient has created a device that turns a mere thought into action. Meant for people with degenerative brain and spinal diseases, the “Audeo” is a black, lightweight collar that slips over one’s neck and invokes the power of Satan to do its magic:

“When you speak, your brain sends a signal to the muscles in your throat,” said Thomas Coleman, CTO of Ambient Corp. “We detect the electrical activity at the throat, convert it, and then use it for communication.” Currently, the Audeo can translate this information into speech, as well as allow the operator to control a wheelchair.

(Next up, your mind!) No word yet on whether it’ll some day translate Wilmer Valderrama’s thoughts into something intelligible. Follow the jump to watch a clip of some guy’s thoughts controlling his wheelchair. (Admittedly, it sounds a lot cooler than it looks.)

New Invention Lets You Speak Your Mind, Literally [Austinist]
Image [The Audeo]