‘It’s a cutting-edge fMRI – a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner that measures the blood flow to the brain as a proxy for neural activity. It’s larger and far more powerful than the standard machine. It has stronger magnets, which means a better resolution and a faster readout. The visual cortical activity it measures will be decoded to provide a layered image that will reproduce a reconstruction of …’

‘Whoosh.’

Oliver trailed off as Nell ran the flat of her hand over her head in a ‘you’ve lost me’ motion.

‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘Basically, scientists have created a way to extract information from different levels of the brain’s visual system and algorithms to interpret and reproduce any imagined images. With clinical trials so far – the work of Yukiyasu Kamitani, for example – the images are fed back via a computer and can then be viewed via the console room over there.’ He pointed to a small window, another room beyond it. ‘With the new tech in the fMRI scanner I mentioned before, I believe we will be able to see not just still images, but… I suppose the easiest way to describe it would be like watching a movie.’

‘So I can see on a screen what Adam is thinking?’ I was incredulous.

‘Potentially, yes.’

‘You keep saying potentially or in theory or possibly.’

Oliver pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. I wondered why, with all of his money, he didn’t buy a pair that fit. ‘I don’t want to promise you something that I can’t deliver. What I can tell you is that early indications are really positive but we’ve been lacking a test subject…’ He noticed the way I clamped my lips together to prevent myself furiously telling him Adam was not a test subject. Oliver had been so open about his lack of social graces and I knew he didn’t mean any harm.

‘I’ve done it again, haven’t I? Sorry. I don’t usually work with people.’

‘It’s a lot to take in,’ Nell said. ‘The concept that we can see on a screen—’

‘There’s more,’ Oliver cut in. ‘It should also be possible for someone – me in this case – to wear fMRI compatible VR goggles which, in theory, could incorporate any senses Adam might be experiencing. I don’t want to be viewing the results solely through a computer.’

‘Our friend, Josh, has one of those Occulus Quest VR gaming headsets,’ Nell said. ‘I had a go. It was so immersive. So real. As though you’re somewhere else. Is this similar?’