You can see the results for yourself in the comparison above. The new technique, DGMM (Deep Generative Multiview Model), is very nearly on par with the source material. Virtually all the other approaches are so imprecise and noisy that many of their results are either difficult to read or just plain wrong.

This initial foray revolved around people staring at simple images. There's much more work to be done before it's clear this method works for complex images and videos -- you know, real life. Still, the breakthrough hints at a bright (if slightly creepy) future for brain image recreation. It could help with brain-controlled devices, for example, or help doctors understand mental health issues based on dreams or hallucinations.