Study Advances Possibility of Mind-Controlled Devices

A study published in the journal Nature Medicine has shown a possible path to creating effective neural prosthetics.

The study’s subjects, only listed as T6 and T7, have Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The scientists performed surgery on them one year ago to place a “neural recording device” in the part of the brain in charge of controlling hand function, notes Bloomberg.

The test documented in the study required T6 and T7 to perform a variety of tasks, such as moving a cursor to hit different targets on a computer screen. The device receives electrical impulses from the brain and morphs them into a computer signal to operate the cursor.

Both test subjects had the highest published performance so far, and even doubled the results of the previous clinical trial participant, according to the study.

The hope is that these devices can improve quality of life for people suffering from paralysis.

You can watch how T6 performed in her test below.