Watch Two People With Brain Implants Control Computers With Their Thoughts
This 4-mm square array is implanted in the brains of people participating in BrainGate.org research. It detects neural signals that are then translated into a computer commands.
Matthew McKee/BrainGate CollaborationWe're one step closer to the day when people can control computers with thoughts.
An eclectic team of researchers affiliated with BrainGate, a consortium of neuroscientists, engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians, have published a study in Nature Medicine that profiles two subjects who control a cursor with their thoughts more deftly than previous systems allowed. Earlier versions of the system allowed subjects to perform such tasks as drinking from a coffee thermos using a robotic arm, or playing simple games. The latest version brings finer control and ease of use. One participant was even able to type at a rate of six words a minute, using software originally developed to help people type type with eye movement.