The human brain is a marvelous machine. In 2004, a medical device company announced a plan to push its capabilities even further.
“The company, Cyberkinetics Inc., plans to implant a tiny chip in the brains of five paralyzed people in an effort to enable them to operate a computer by thought alone,” the author wrote.
Cyberkinetics’ project, BrainGate, seems like a science fiction concept today. Ten years ago, however, it was an even more outrageous idea. After successful trials in which “…research groups implanted devices in monkeys that allowed them to control cursors on computer screens or move robot arms using their brainpower alone,” testing on humans was a frightening next step.
Progress
BrainGate went through two years of testing on four participants with tetraplegia, which is paralysis that affects all of a person’s limbs. The science journal Nature published a study hailing the positive results.
“… [The participants] simulated e-mail and operated devices such as a television. Furthermore, [they] used neural control to open and close a prosthetic hand, and perform rudimentary actions with a multi-jointed robotic arm. These early results suggest that [these services] could provide a valuable new neurotechnology to restore independence for humans with paralysis.”
People who were unable to move their arms or legs were now able to move by “thinking”. Here’s an incredible video that shows a man’s ability to move his legs with a similar device:
Today
In 2012, Nature published another report stating that participants were now showing the ability to “reach and grasp” items, like the woman who controlled a robotic arm through thought to drink coffee from a bottle. And according to the BrainGate website, the company is currently seeking individuals to join in the next round of testing.
What’s next?
The future of brain-computer interfaces is unclear. However, the BrainGate program has shown how quick advancements are possible. Some may fantasize about how these breakthroughs may advance the eventual “virtual-reality” type of video games, but I’m more in awe of the medical possibilities. Let’s see where brain-controlled technology takes us by 2014.