Late last year I blogged about experimental subjects being able to control a cursor with their brain waves, and about a commercial brainwave cap called Brainfingers. I am a bit belatedly noticing a Guardian article about yet more advances for neurotechnology:
There's a hand lying on the blanket on Matt Nagle's desk and he's staring at it intently, thinking "Close, close," as the scientists gathered around him look on. To their delight, the hand twitches and its outstretched fingers close around the open palm, clenching to a fist.In that moment, Nagle made history. Paralysed from the neck down after a vicious knife attack four years ago, he is the first person to have controlled an artificial limb using a device chronically implanted into his brain.The article describes the use of implants to collect electronic thought signals from severely paralysed patients, and scientists' efforts to convert those signals into usable control signals. It's a long tough road, filled with problems, but the scientists are still dreaming big:
Nicolelis says his goal is to use brain implants to allow the disabled to walk again. He has already started designing a wearable robotic "exoskeleton" that could help power paralysed legs - think Wallace and Gromit's The Wrong Trousers, only with better control.
Heh.
