Wow, so we might be less than 5 years away from pretty solid brain computer interfaces? That would be revolutionary. It would make things like Google glass a lot more viable.
Google Glass and the Oculus Rift are very interesting for us, since it puts technology right on the spot where we need to acquire signals for brain-computer interfaces. FYI, there was a successful crowd-source campaign by InteraXon for an acceptable EEG headset [1]. This is the first headset that I can imagine being worn in public spaces.
In five years we can potentially see brain-computer interfaces for consumers. I fear using the word 'solid' though, since I isn't a replacement for traditional input like the mouse or keyboard (that is what I would call solid). The biggest challenge I see is that we have to help consumers understand what it can do. I feel this technology is a game changer, but it is difficult to pinpoint what game is being changed. Therefore, it will at least take a while to get mainstream.
No, not without some radical new insights :). But, why replace them? If you need something to replace them, probably you have a different need (e.g. hands-free, private communication, or expressing something that is hard to do consciously, like the level of pain, tiredness of familiarity of a face). Perhaps EEG can be used to fulfill that need instead.
So where do you think we'll see hands free private communication coming from? I can't really think of any technologies that might be able to do that.
Also replacing the keyboard is a worthwhile goal. A lot of people get RSI, and I think even at something fast like 100 wps our brain to computer "bandwidth" is pretty slow. (And typing fast takes a lot of practice)
