Controlling computers with your brain

Imagine being able to move objects with only your thoughts. Simply thinking a thought, and then an object does your bidding. For many humans struck with paralysis such as Lou Gehrig Disease or Locked In Syndrome, this isn't only a sci-fi pipe dream, but a much hoped reality.

Now it is a reality. Watch this video about people who are completely paralyzed due to illness or trauma are getting help communicating with a new technology that connects their brains to a computer. The video appeared recently on CBS's 60 Minutes.

How to control a computer with your brain

In research, we refer to our interaction with computers as human-computer interface, or HCI. But there is a new type of interface called brain-computer interface, or BCI. A fabric headpiece with electrodes is worn, sorta like wearing a snug hat. The user thinks of a letter. When a computer displays the letter on a screen, the brains sends out a electrical signal when it recognizes it. The electrodes pick up this signal and translate it as "So you want to select this letter." And viola -- the computer actually reads your mind! Currently, this process takes about 20 seconds/letter.

This reminded me of the recent movie about Elle magazine editor who suffered a stroke and was left completely paralyzed except for blinking of his eyes (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). He wrote a book about his experience in 1997 by "blinking" the letters with a nurse. It took 200,000 blinks, with each word taking about 2 minutes to form.

How to control a computer with your brain even better

Now imagine if you had a direct connection with your neurons -- directly connecting electrodes with individual neurons. Again, we've done this! Brown University, in a project called BrownGate, has a paralyzed human volunteer directly tapped to a computer. So far, the volunteer (or subject) is able to move a cursor around a computer screen by simply thinking of moving a mouse with her arm. Her current challenge: controlling her wheelchair with her mind.

Inspired? Let's end with a quote by a severely disabled person who uses a vent to breathe 24/7 and a motorized wheelchair for mobility.

This 60-Minute segment brought tears to my eyes. I know how technology has helped me and so many others like me with severe disabilities. These inventors, these geniuses, who come up with these great new things to help people with disabilities are fantastic. We must always support research! There is a great new world out there coming for us who need these great new inventions. Already we men and women with disabilities are out in the world working and contributing to society and our world, thanks to technology. I give workshops on art and I have published a number of books. Technology has helped me do that and even drive my adapted van. Without technology, I would have been dead at age 5 in 1951 from polio. But technology has kept me going and at 62, I am still moving ahead, writing, teaching, and creating. We must all support technology and those great men and women who have not only put us on the Moon, but will give us people with disabilities the ability to move forward and contribute to society and our world.