APRIL 2021 Neuralink’s Direct Brain/Machine Interface
Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) had early-onset amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease which over time left him paralyzed. He used the computer program known as “Equalizer” by pressing a switch to select from 3,000 phrases to speak via a speech synthesizer (up to 15 words per minute) until he lost the use of his hand. In 2005 he learned to control his speaking device using his cheek muscles (about 1 word per minute).
What Hawking needed was a way to link his brain directly to his speech synthesizer. Basically, implanting electrodes into various parts of the human brain and using those signals to interface with computers and other devices.
Which brings us to research into brain-computer interfaces being conducted at CTRL Labs, Mount Sanai Hospital and Synchron, MIT, Neuralink, and University of California, San Francisco.
Click HERE for how implants work.
Click HERE for more on BCI, Brain Computer Interface.
Now Neuralink is making breakthroughs that promises to improve the lives of those dealing with paralysis.
photo credit: Neuralink
Pager is a macaque monkey with 2 neuralink implants, that allow control of the cursor on a computer screen.
Click HERE to read MIT Technology Review article on Neuralink’s Direct Brain/Machine Interface.
