Brain Controlled Virtual World for the Disabled

Galactic_grub writes "New Scientist Tech has a story about a virtual world that paralyzed patients can explore using their thoughts. The set-up connects a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) to virtual reality so that a person can 'walk' through it, simply by thinking of moving their legs or their left or right hand. Electrodes are attached to their scalp and electroencephalogram (EEG) readings are used to navigate, or control an avatar. The story includes a video of the experiment."

Comments

Lets get real

[EmbeddedJanitor]

My wife spent a while caring for paraplegics and helping them to adjust. Most of these were young males hurt in mining accidents. Being able to have fantasies about walking is probably low on their agenda and probably serves little useful purpose. Being able to have realistic sex play is probably far more desirable and beneficial to the their health and wellbeing.

Re:Lets get real

[Original Replica]

"I know I'd rather be six feet under than lay in a bed for the next 50-70 years."

I think that's the whole point of this tech. To give some sort of social life to those who are both immobile and without the real life support network to have a fufilling life inspite of their physical limitations. And before you knock this "social life" too much, consider how many people spend the majority of their time in WoW or EVE chatting or helping friends, completely by their own choice. I could think of nothing better for establishing a good game community than to adapt it to a demographic that would likely use the game as a primary means of social interaction. And if I only ever know them as the high level character who helped me out when I was a newbie and who is quick on the chat lines with a joke or a helpful suggestion, maybe that that would be just fine with someone who is unable to be helpful or chatty IRL.

Re:That's great, when is it available in stores?

[drinkypoo]

There's disable people out there living terribly poor quality lives.. they could be playing WoW.

Cool, then they can die of starvation without even noticing! Dr. Kevorkian, is that you?

I'm not sure

[AciesD]

This is going to be good for some people, but what happens when these people take of the electrodes and discover they still can't walk. I would think it would make them worse.

However, this is a step in the right direction. If we can read and interpret instructions through EEG good enough to control an avatar, how far away can we be from using these same thoughts to control robotic limbs?

Re:I'm not sure

[paleo2002]

Even more simply, this kind of brain-machine interface could be used to control motorized prosthetic hands and arms. As I understand, amputees currently rely on flexing their shoulder muscles, for example, to controlled a motorized hand. More capabilities could be added to these devices if controlling them becomes easier.

Re:I'm not sure

[Garrett Fox]

Yeah. I don't have the link on me at the moment, but DARPA recently announced an impressive new prosthetic arm prototype with plans to build an even beter one. Apparently it's got a two-way connection, with tactile feedback to the nervous system. Great!

oh shit

[jollyreaper]

Yeah, this seems all kewl and shit now, but just wait until they get put into these pepperpot things with plungers on the end, we'll be in for it then! "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

Atari Mindlink?

[CyberZCat]

This reminds me of a gaming console that Atari worked on in the mid-1980s called the Atari Mindlink, very similar concept except it used infrared sensors to measure the movement of the muscles in your head.

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/260 0/mindlink.html