Telepathy Telepathy was communication directly from one mind to another . An individual capable of telepathy was known as a telepath . Telepathy existed in various forms across a number of species . A related ability was empathy , the perception of others ' emotion s . Overview . Most examples of telepathy involved the exchange of words , paralleling verbal speech . ( ) The vast majority of telepaths ( 98 % of telepathic species known to the Federation in 2268 ) could both send and receive messages . ( ) The Cairn transmitted images , allowing for a much faster rate of communication . ( ) The Enaran s could implant their memories into the minds of non - telepaths , allowing those persons to relive their experiences . ( ) The living starship Gomtuu could mentally communicate millennia of experiences in a few seconds . ( ) Some telepaths could only communicate effectively with their own species . For example , the attempts made by the beings trapped in a Tyken ' s Rift in 2367 to communicate telepathically caused mental harm to the crew of the and could only be perceived by Betazoid s through metaphorical dream s . ( ) Species such as Betazoid s and Vulcan s could speak mentally with other telepaths or empaths and also read the thoughts of non - telepathic individuals . ( ; ) Betazoids were even capable of perceiving the impulses of non - sentient animal s . ( ) A touch telepath required physical contact to communicate with the mind of another being . The Vulcan mind meld was a form of touch telepathy . ( ) Some species , such as Ferengi and Dopterian s , could not be read telepathically , which may be attributable to the structure of their brain s . ( ; ) The Sheliak were so alien that they were incomprehensible to telepaths . ( ) Natural telepathy . Telepathy was a natural attribute of some species , present in almost all healthy individuals . In other species such as Human s , telepathy manifested only infrequently , like with Miranda Jones . ( ) The Aenar were an unusual example of an all - telepathic subspecies within the non - telepathic Andorian s . ( ) There were species that possessed extraordinary telepathic powers . The Talosian s , Melkot , Botha , and the telepathic pitcher plant could manipulate perception or even trap individuals within fabricated mental realities . ( ; ) . The Halanan s and the Botha had the ability to create telepathic illusions that interacted with the real world like physical objects . ( ; ) The Ocampa could sense impressions from the past , future , and alternate timeline s . ( ) Telepathic members of Tarquin ' s species could read psychic imprints left in objects by those who previously handled them . ( ) Acquired telepathy . Under rare circumstances , individuals could gain telepathic powers . In 2252 , Charles Evans was given telepathy and other powers by the non - corporeal Thasian s so that he might survive on their world . ( ) In 2265 , exposure to the galactic barrier caused Gary Mitchell to develop various abilities , including telepathy . ( ) Federation scientists at the Darwin Genetic Research Station on Gagarin IV used genetic engineering to create children with telepathy and telekinesis in the mid - 24th century . ( ) Telepathy and technology . A few civilizations developed mechanical telepathy . Landru , a gifted engineer and philosopher , constructed a computer able to telepathically control most of the population of the planet Beta III . ( ) The members of the Think Tank used a device that enabled mental communication , as their species differed so profoundly that they never would be able to communicate by other means . ( ) Borg neural transceiver s and interlink node s allowed multiple individuals to share thoughts . ( ) The enigmatic Flint built a series of robot s that could be controlled telepathically and respond to mental emanations consistent with distress or danger . ( ) The Romulan telepresence unit relied on telepathy to control drone ships over interstellar distances . ( ) Devices existed to record an individual ' s thoughts and memories , for example the Federation psycho - tricorder , the Klingon mind scanner , and the Romulan mind probe . ( ; ) The Breen used cortical implant s to achieve similar results . ( ) The psi - wave device s used by the Prytt could read and transmit thoughts , which had the side effect of enabling " telepathy " between individuals implanted with the devices . ( ) The Saltah ' na created energy spheres that functioned as telepathic archives . The spheres caused those exposed to them to re - enact the thoughts and actions of the individuals stored within . ( ) As of 2368 , the Federation had no technology capable of blocking telepathic transmissions . ( ) Cultural perspectives . Telepathic civilizations often developed a moral code that governed the use of telepathic powers . Several telepathic cultures considered conversing mentally in the presence of non - telepathic individuals to be impolite . ( ; ) Invading another being ' s mind against their will was considered to be an act of assault comparable to rape . Some , such as the Ullian s , codified this into law . ( ; ) The Mari policed violent thoughts as rigorously as violent acts . ( ) Information obtained via telepathy was not considered definite evidence in Federation jurisprudence . ( ) Some species used telepathy as a means of attack , for example the Melkot , the Lethean s , and the Botha . ( ; ; ) The ancient Vulcans developed a psionic resonator , the Stone of Gol , that amplified telepathic energies to kill . ( ) Vulcan s and Betazoid s established long - term psychic mating bonds ; these links could be made with non - telepathic individuals . ( ; ) . The non - telepathic Xyrillian s also established a mental connection , with the aid of special granules , during their mating process . ( ) Telepathy was used ritualistically by joined Trill to commune with past hosts . ( ) Telepathy has allowed forms of interaction that would otherwise be impossible . The Medusan s were a non - corporeal lifeform so different that the sight of them drove Humans insane . Interaction with them was very limited until 2268 , when Miranda Jones established a telepathic link with Ambassador Kollos , proving that it could be done . ( ) The mute Federation mediator Riva was telepathically linked to a Chorus that allowed him to communicate verbally . ( ) Individuals could be prejudice d against telepaths . ( ) The Devore considered trust to be a concept that was alien to telepathic species and therefore deeply mistrusted telepaths , searching all starship s passing through their space for them and imprisoning any found . ( ) Tarquin ' s species regarded telepathic individuals as threats and exile d them to other planets . ( ) Draim , a member of the Orion Syndicate , used telepaths to check the loyalty of his underlings . ( ) The concept of reading minds could also be used euphemistically , as a Romulan commander did in 2266 in reference to James T . Kirk anticipating one of his tactical moves . ( ) Appendices . Background information . " Star Trek " science consultant and writer André Bormanis has revealed that telepathy within the " Star Trek " universe works via the " psionic field . " According to Bormanis , a psionic field is the " medium " through which unspoken thoughts and feelings are communicated through space . Some humanoid s can tap into this field through a kind of sense organ located in the brain ( e . g . the paracortex ) . In the same manner that Human eye s can sense portions of the electromagnetic field , telepaths can sense portions of the psionic field . " " Joseph Gatt imagined his character , 0718 , to be in telepathic contact with the ' s systems at all times through cybernetic implants , more precisely a miniature version of the ship ' s computer implanted in the back of his head .