Microsoft has filed a patent for an improved electroencephalogram (EEG). This improvement will filter more useful data about what's going on inside a human brain.

What use would this be to Microsoft?

The company hopes that the data will better enable to them to design user interfaces that people find easy to use. Whether users will want Microsoft reading their brain waves is another matter altogether.

Well, putting aside the above photographic evidence (you know... on the off-chance that its doctored), it seems probable that Microsoft doesn't intend to have Windows users hook up to EEG's. Its more likely that they envision using this device to develop software that can better anticipate the needs of users - those not hooked up to EEG's.

Or maybe they're just going to sell the technology to hospitals.

Still, this could be another path to the Singularity. This could develop into a nonsurgical way to electronically augment human thinking beyond what is currently possible.

Firewall anyone?