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Brain Chip Approved For Paralysis Research
dalillama writes "The BBC is reporting that tests are underway for the clinical trials of the "Brain Gate" computer chip, placed in the brains of paralysis patients. They hope the chips will map out nerve impulses which are sent to limbs, so that they can then be translated into computer code and sent to future artificial limbs. " Thanks to Robert Brooks for pointing out this closely related piece.
From the article: "The signals will be monitored through wires emerging from the skull, which presents some danger of infection. The company is working on a wireless version"
If they can work out a way to hook it into an 802.11g home network, i'd get one fitted, paralysis or not!
Imagine being able to control devices in the home as easily as controlling a limb. Of course controlling those same devices when drunk would be another matter entirely...
Why cant they just connect the brain to the legs and get the guy moving?
That's the desired end result, I believe. However, it's not that simple. You need to figure out which part of the brain actually does the moving, which signal does what. Then you have to figure out which part of the leg to stimulate to make it move. Amputees would probably be easier to help than parapalegics, because when you make them an artificial arm or leg you know exactly how that limb works (the trick is telling it to move as easily as your natural limb). And in the future if this technology actually works there will probably be no physical connection between your brain and the paralized/artificial limb because to run wires through your body is uneccesary surgery and to run wires outside the body is unsightly. The connection will probably be wireless, though this opens up security issues (what happens if two parapalegics who have similar frequencies walk too close to each other... will one be able to move the other's leg if the interference is just right?)