MIT researchers are using focused ultrasound to safely stimulate deep parts of the brain and probe the roots of consciousness. The technology could finally reveal which brain circuits cause conscious experience, rather than just reacting to it. Transcranial focused ultrasound is a relatively new technology that, although around for several years, has not yet become a standard tool in neuroscience research. The finding appears directly relevant to the long-standing challenge of identifying causal mechanisms behind subjective experience, distinct from mere correlation.
At least we can finally poke the brain and watch it think back.