Send Email By Thought

Thursday, Oct. 14 2004 | Author: Nicole

I consider myself to be a techie, but technology like this blows my mind. Cyberkinetics, a company based in Foxborough, Massachusetts, has developed the Braingate:

A pill-sized brain chip has allowed a quadriplegic man to check e-mail and play computer games using his thoughts. The device can tap into a hundred neurons at a time, and is the most sophisticated such implant tested in humans so far.

The chip is advanced enough that the patient can control computer or television functions even while engaged in other activities.

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3 Responses for "Send Email By Thought"

Nicole

October 14th, 2004 at 10:48 am
1

I like the idea of thinking about writing an email and having it actually happen, but I agree that the technology is a little creepy. Considering I’m not quadriplegic, I’ll stick to typing my emails the old-fashioned way.

However, it’s amazing to me that this is even possible. Just think something and it happens? Very sci-fi.
witte

October 14th, 2004 at 3:07 pm
2

What would be really great : instead of sending mails with this, control a motorised harness (think latest batch of walking robots from Japan) so the disabled guy could walk around and do stuff with motorized arms / grabbers. Neato !
ironmonkey

October 14th, 2004 at 10:38 pm
3

I would definitely try and expand this beyond just the control of composing email.

Controlling a robotic harness is just the tip of the iceberg, IMHO. Of course you’d have to put a wireless transmitter connected to the dongle that’s wired into your brain, but you could make things happen like, “unlock the car door”.

Or, consider interfacing the neural commands with the micro-servos of a prothsetic limb. Hmmm…

But, there’s no doubt that the ability for a parapalegic to just communicate via email will, hopefully, vastly improve their quality of life.