Paralysed patients control robotic arm with thoughts

Paralysed patients control robotic arm with thoughts

www.bbc.co.uk

Two patients in the United States, who are paralysed from the neck down, have been able to control a robotic arm using their thoughts.

It allowed Cathy Hutchinson to drink unaided for the first time in nearly 15 years.

The technique, described in the journal Nature, links a sensor implanted in the brain to a computer, which translates electrical signals into commands.

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This is, frankly astonishing and worthy of discussion.

How many years before disabled people will be free of having to rely on others because our in-built human ingenuity allows them to live almost normal lives through technology?

Conversely, watch the video and look at the brain map on the screen - there is some sinister potential there, because if the tech can move the robot arm, could it be swapped round to move an actual arm, and if so - are the days of the "Universal Soldier" coming?

I'm continually amazed by this kind of progress - the bio-electrical/mechano electrical barrier is shrinking every day. In some respects its breathtakingly awesome (as in this case) in others its almost terrifying.

www.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by neformore


Yes this was a logical application of that technology.

Just dont threaten the concept of freewill with all this "computer can read your mind" stuff and people wont start killing themselves.

Can't find a video would really add to it.

Checkout this TED talk by Tan Le too. She discusses about the headset that can read brainwaves. The headset can sample your simple thoughts and then can be assigned to a particular task.

WOW this is going to be just like Deus Ex Human Revolution.
What happens when most of your body is prosthetic and all that remains of yourself is your brain? What happens when you are tired of thinking after a few hundred years? There's going to be crazy robots on the loose on a rampage.

reply to post by morpheusxxz


Give me GIVE ME!!!!

that is awsome... ive been waiting for this exact thing. Ive got some music to write but i lack the fine motor skills and muscle memory to play many instruments. With this i can replicate any song or movie in my mind.... i could project movies and edit them as they play through my memory. O frabjous day!!

This is an AMAZING technology. I just hope it is used for good and not crazy stuff like you guys also suggested. Think of how many disabled people would feel independent again! It still amazes me though that we can come up with things like this but they haven't found a cure for cancer. Which leads me to believe that we have the technology for such things. But that's a different topic! Thanks for posting this. Very nice find.

reply to post by Wertdagf


They are selling the headset. Link- www.emotiv.com...

Though I think the device is much of a prototype and buggy. But we can expect to see perfect ones in the future. I can't wait to interface brain directly with a computer. There would be no limit to what we would be able to do. Creating a replica of our physical reality as a simulation just like in 'The Thirteenth Floor' and 'eXistenZ' and then living a life inside of it. Sharing dreams with others like in Inception. Painting, creating music and games directly with imagination without the need of instruments. Inducing emotions. Maybe virtual telepathy - talking to other people without speaking. Watching movies without using eyes. Downloading data directly into the brain. LOL, I think I am extrapolating it too much.

reply to post by neformore


S&F This is amazing. I saw clips of this on a couple of different History2 shows. One was "Decoded" and the other I can't remember the title of the program.

It still seems like scifi to me, but it's real.

HUGE breakthrough for those who cannot use their physical bodies.

reply to post by morpheusxxz


Hopefully we can go the headset way instead of implantation

Then they can control without surgery which carries it's own risks.

reply to post by NuclearMitochondria


What is amazing is how quickly the posters here have accepted this without question. There would have been a different reaction to these news 15 years ago.