A Camera For Your Thoughts, or Your Neurons?

Chips in your head may not be too far behind, as Cornell University engineers have announced the invention of a new camera that "fits on the head of a pin...costs pennies to make," and could easily be implanted in anything from sophisticated monitoring systems to human brains.

Scary? Imagine what this information could provide to scientists and doctors working to understand the brain, memory and neurological diseases.

As camera technology continues to embrace megapixels, lens, and 3-D capabilities, certain industries may not welcome these advances, including those related to healthcare or robotics. The camera chip, made from a piece of silicon and employing mathematics to capture multiple visualizations, creates rough images that could help reveal firing neurons on the brain. Or, with some work on the resolution, make quite an impressive spy tool.