Technology- Staying focused

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22029484.500-mindreading-light-helps-you-stay-in-the-zone.html?utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=SOC&utm_campaign=hoot&cmpid=SOC%7CNSNS%7C2013-GLOBAL-hoot#.UrW3ORaYcb0


The link above will direct you to an article that I recently read in the New Scientist magazine and found particularly interesting. I'm always baffled by the crazy technology we have access to nowadays and I must admit that the majority of the time I have no idea about any of the science behind it. However, with this particular innovation, I can understand the simple concepts which have been built upon in order to produce a rather fascinating idea. 
The basic concept is that we can use light shone into the eyes to monitor the level of activity in the brain. Of course this is extremely simple as a concept and in fact we have been using light through the eyes as a portal to the brain in many ways for years already. For example, in your GP, I'm sure you've had a torch shone into your eyes to check for various things and not even thought about it. With head injuries, in more serious cases in hospitals, a torch is used to check the responsiveness of the pupils, with certain irregular reactions relating directly to neurological conditions. For example, when the patient's pupils fail to react or there are changes in the size or shape of their pupils, this can often be linked to raised intracranial pressure and pressure on the optic nerve. This is mostly due to a rise in cerebrospinal fluid or a mass on the brain such as a tumour or a bleed, which can be caused by things such as head injuries, encephalitis or meningitis. 
So, the idea of using light to understand what is happening in the brain is not a new concept at all. The complicated part is the way in which the light is recorded and interpreted. This whole idea is brought together using various different scientific domains and will no doubt be extremely useful in the future. The ability to tell whether or not someone is using their full capacity of concentration could be used in numerous ways. For example, as mentioned in the passage, to work with air traffic controllers and ensure they are able to handle their stressful workload. This could further be extended to professions such as long distance lorry drivers, where this technology could be used to gauge when the drivers need a break. 
This technology could pioneer new advances in testing systems. If we imagine a new form of driving test which uses this system. When someone is a very capable driver, they are able to drive without too much thought and their brain is calm and is not overworked. This would show up on the monitor, and would act as proof that this candidate is competent enough to be allowed to drive without supervision. However, if someone is finding it difficult to drive properly or is having to overly focus and is becoming stressed by driving, this would be evident. If this information could be passed on to instructors, it could be used to determine whether or not the pupil is allowed to pass their test. This method could be used in all other types of skills based assessments.