When you buy through links on our site , we may earn an affiliate deputation . Here ’s how it works .
By focusing on images of letter of the alphabet , people with electrodes in their mind can type with just their minds , scientists now reveal .
These findings make up one more step on the road to mind - simple machine user interface that may one mean solar day help citizenry pass on with just their thoughts . investigator have recently employed brain scan tosee numbersand maybe evenpull videosfrom inside people ’s oral sex .
Electrodes placed directly on the surface of peoples' brains allow them to type just by thinking of letters. Image
The neuroscientists were supervise two patient with epilepsy for seizure activity with electrode set straight on the surface of their brain to record electrical activity generated by the firing of nerve cells . This variety of function need a craniotomy , a operative incision into the skull .
How it ferment
Lead investigator Jerry Shih , a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic campus in Jacksonville , Fla. , wanted to test how well their fledglingmind - machine interfacefunctioned in these patient role . He reason it would do better when electrodes were placed directly on the brain rather of when placed on the scalp , as is done with electroencephalography , or EEG .
Most bailiwick of mind - machine interaction have employed EEG , Shih explain .
" The scalp and bony skull pass around and strain the signal , rather like how the Earth ’s atmosphere blurs the light from stars , " Shih said . " That ’s why procession to day of the month on acquire these sort ofmind interfaceshas been slow . "
The patient role sat in front of a screen that exhibit a 6 - by-6 grid with a unmarried letter inside each square . Every time a foursquare with a sure letter of the alphabet flashed and the affected role focused on it , the electrodes relayed the brain ’s reaction to a computer . The patient were then asked to focus on specific letters , and the computer record that data as well .
After the system was calibrated to each patient ’s specific brain waves , when the patient focus on a letter , the letter appeared on the cover .
" We were able to systematically bode the desired letters for our patients at or near 100 percent accuracy , " Shih said . " While this is comparable to other researcher ' issue with EEGs , this attack is more localised and can potentially provide a faster communication rate . Our goal is to bump a way to effectively and consistently use a affected role ’s brain waves to execute sure tasks . "
How to use it
Once the proficiency is perfected , its will require patients to have a craniotomy , although it rest uncertain how many electrodes would have to be implanted . The computers would also have to fine-tune each person’sbrain wavesto desired actions , such as movement of a prosthetic arm , Shih allege .
" Over 2 million the great unwashed in the United States may do good from assistive devices controlled by a brain - computer interface , " Shih said . " This study constitutes a baby step on the road toward that time to come , but it symbolize tangible forward motion in using learning ability waving to do sealed tasks . "
These patients would have to employ a reckoner to see their mental capacity waves , " but these twist are get so small , there is a hypothesis that they could be implanted at some point , " Shih said . " We find our progress so far to be very supporting . "
The scientists detailed their findings Sunday in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society .
