---
title: "Microsoft Wants to Mine Cryptocurrency Using Your Brain Waves"
description: "Microsoft applied for an unusual new patent that would read people’s brain waves in exchange for cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. The patent application, which has yet to be granted, describes a system that would scan a user’s brainwaves or other biological signals to make sure that they actually completed a task, such as watching […]"
date: "2020-04-27"
modified: "2020-04-27"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/microsoft-mine-cryptocurrency-using-your-brain-waves"
categories:
  - "Blockchain"
  - "Cryptocurrency"
  - "Future Society"
tags:
  - "brainwaves"
  - "crypto"
  - "microsoft"
  - "patent"
  - "the digest"
---

# Microsoft Wants to Mine Cryptocurrency Using Your Brain Waves

![A patent application from Microsoft describes a system that would read a person's brainwaves and mine cryptocurrency as a reward for completing tasks.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/microsoft-mine-cryptocurrency-using-your-brain-waves.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Alpari/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Mind Reading

Microsoft applied for an unusual new patent that would read users' brainwaves in exchange for cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.

The [patent application](<http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=microsoft&s2=abramson.IN.&OS=microsoft+AND+IN/abramson&RS=microsoft+AND+IN/abramson>), which has yet to be granted, describes a system that would scan a user's brain activity or other biological signals to make sure they completed a task, [such as watching a commercial](<https://futurism.com/moviepass-eye-tracking-ads>). The system would then use those signals to mine for cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, *[PC Magazine](<https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-patent-describes-tracking-brain-activity-to-mine-cryptocurrency>)*[ reports](<https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-patent-describes-tracking-brain-activity-to-mine-cryptocurrency>), as a way to compensate the user.

## We've Seen Worse

The logistics for how such a transaction would occur remain hazy: the application includes details on how such a system's software may work, but less information on how it would actually be used.

But this wouldn't be the first time a tech company tried to [patent absurd technology](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/bizarre-ford-patent-filter-rideshare-cars-smell>) — it's actually a fairly common practice, even though many of the systems described in these patents [never get built](<https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/amazon-sony-facebook-strange-patents.html>).

## Biological Captcha

Based on what information is available, the system seems ideal for a system [like Mechanical Turk](<https://futurism.com/finnish-startup-prison-labor-train-ai>), in which workers complete quick tasks — like helping train AI algorithms — for small sums of money.

The idea there, *PC Mag* reports, is to make the process of proving that someone actually did the work quick and painless — albeit intrusive — instead of taking up time they could spend on the next job.

**READ MORE:** [Microsoft Patent Describes Tracking Brain Activity to Mine Cryptocurrency](<https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-patent-describes-tracking-brain-activity-to-mine-cryptocurrency>) \[*PC Magazine*\]

**More on weird tech patents:** *[Bizarre Ford Patent Lets You Filter Rideshare Cars by Smell](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/bizarre-ford-patent-filter-rideshare-cars-smell>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)