[extropy-chat] Human Studies Show Feasibility of Brain-Machine Interfaces

Giu1i0 Pri5c0 gpmap at runbox.com
Wed Mar 24 06:21:03 UTC 2004


>From Duke University News: Research may lead to advances allowing paralyzed
people to control prosthetics by thought. In their first human studies of
the feasibility of using brain signals to operate external devices,
researchers at Duke University Medical Center report that arrays of
electrodes can provide useable signals for controlling such devices. The
research team is now working to develop prototype devices that may enable
paralyzed people to operate "neuroprosthetic" and other external devices
using only their brain signals. While the new studies provide an initial
proof of principle that human application of brain-machine interfaces is
possible, the researchers emphasize that many years of development and
clinical testing will be required before such neuroprosthetic devices are
available. Application of such technology would be a robot arm for a
quadriplegic, a neurally controlled electric wheelchair, and another a
neurally operated keyboard, whose output could include either text or
speech. Such devices could help both paralyzed people and those who have
lost speech capabilities. A key question in future clinical studies will be
whether humans can incorporate such devices into their "schema," or neural
representation of the external world.

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