Monkeys Control a Robot Arm With Their Thoughts

Two monkeys with tiny sensors in their brains have learned to control a mechanical arm with just their thoughts, using it to reach for and grab food and even to adjust for the size and stickiness of morsels when necessary, scientists reported on Wednesday.
The report, released online by the journal Nature, is the most striking demonstration to date of brain-machine interface technology. Scientists expect that technology will eventually allow people with spinal cord injuries and other paralyzing conditions to gain more control over their lives.

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Amazing. This, coupled with the current robotics? Paralyzed people would be able to "move" about the office. Stephen Hawking' with his own robot assistant. I would love to hear someone who knows more than me comment on this...

I am all for advances like this. We can do incredible things.

When I hear a story like this, all I can do is say "Look what we can do". It is said with much more awe and wonder than the words convey through reading though.

We never cease to amaze me.

edit: star and flag, sir.

[edit on 5/29/0808 by spines]

We are this advanced, yet we still experiment on animals........

Originally posted by _Phoenix_
We are this advanced, yet we still experiment on animals........

I am all for animal rights, but what other option is there? I would ask you to stop using almost all (if not all) medicine and personal hygene products including soaps.

As much as my liberal mind hates it:

Would you kill three thousand kittens in order to cure say, Lou Gehrig's Disease?

If you say no then you have never had the disease close to you.

And before I get jumped on: I am not advocating or supporting the testing of needless vanity products on animals. It is wrong, it is pathetic and it is needless. But hell, I would be willing to test on three thousand babies to wipe disease from the earth.

I doubt anyone wouldn't.

reply to post by spines


I would not kill 3 thousand kittens, is it their fault?

But like I said, aren't we advanced enough to use other means with some of these things, and also for example why the hell would a monkey need to control a robot with their thoughts?

Isn't it selfish for us humans to "use" animals for these things.

If scientists want to test something to control a robot with their thought, they should use themselves.



[edit on 29-5-2008 by _Phoenix_]

The cats did nothing. I have two cats, my mom has a cat, my older sister has three...we like cats. I would, however, throw boxes of kittens into a meat grinder if it meant Lou Gehrig's Disease (or any other, I only use it from personal experience) would be wiped clean from the earth.

I am not saying I like the thought. I am being realistic.

I would, however, throw boxes of kittens into a meat grinder if it meant Lou Gehrig's Disease (or any other, I only use it from personal experience) would be wiped clean from the earth.

I am not saying I like the thought. I am being realistic.

I'm sorry I laughed when I read that. I can't get the visual out of my head

I agree that some things need to be tested but we are on very thin ice here. If it would have saved my Father and Millions of other people from Cancer then by all means but for things like hmmm let's say Cosmetics NO WAY

Meat grinding kittens? I step away for 1 hour, and this is what you turned my thread into? Lol...

I think that there are two things with this that are important to note. One, is that if they can get a computer to respond to the monkeys brain, equating thoughts with computer action, then this means HUGE breakthroughs with that field for humans as well.
Secondly, it means that this development, coupled with others, may mean that we see robot helpers for quadriplegics, or robot soldiers, or space explorers, with the reactions of humans.

reply to post by jasonjnelson

if they can get a computer to respond to the monkeys brain, equating thoughts with computer action, then this means HUGE breakthroughs with that field for humans as well.

I'm with you.

If mankind can get over its differences who knows what our potential is? What future generations might have access to... and it all started with the transistor and then the computer revolution.