By grade electrode grids inside patients ’ skull , researchers at the Mayo Clinic have created a way for people to typewrite words using only their brainstorm . It ’s a major breakthrough for nous - computer interface research .
The experiments were undertaken on patients who already had electrode in their brain to supervise epilepsy . Readings were taken via electrocorticography ( ECoG ) , as the subjects were shown a grid of letters and numbers . As each symbol was clear , the patient was told to focalise on the letter of the alphabet or number , and datum was recorded . Once this standardization data was taken , the affected role would consider of a letter or act , and their brain Wave would be befittingly interpret to the screen . The hypothesis is that this technique will admit people to convey and typecast far more easy when they sustain from Lou Gehrig ’s disease , MS , or paralysis .
The lead scientist on the project , Dr. Jerry Shih , say the program is able to perform most or at 100 % truth for the patient . While this is n’t far from the results from cogitation using non - encroaching EEG , Shih believes that ECoG has advantages , as the scalp and skull strain the information coming from the psyche , which mean that ECoG has potency to be faster and more accurate . Shih also say that with EEG , “ the accuracy is n’t terribly peachy , and it takes a farsighted sentence for the computer system to learn an somebody ’s brain signals and to correctly interpret . ”
It is early days yet , and there are still legion hurdles for the inquiry . The initial sketch was only with two patient , but they ’re now on to the 6th , with plans for a wider subject area , to ensure that this proficiency is universally applicable . Shih ’s system of rules does expect a craniotomy , which is not a surgery to be taken on a whim ; and an translator twist is demand , which must be tune up to an individual user . There is also the fact that EEG based interface do n’t necessitate the invading OR , and are similarly accurate , even if they are slower and not quite as precise . So in term of market adoption , the implant is at a disadvantage . Most people would be unforced to deal with the speed loss to annul dangerous procedures .
Shih is presently working on control the method acting ’s effectiveness . He believes it could be used for controlling prosthetics as well as typing . It could also perchance be train with images or else of letters . think an detail , and an image or Good Book for it would appear on your projection screen .
The gimmick could be available in as little as 5 - 10 years .
It ’s just a matter of time before this technology filters down from medical to elective , and we can all live out our hacker dreams of plugging our brains directly into a computer .
ViaAmerican Epilepsy SocietyandMayo Clinic
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