The man who can open his e-mails by power of thought - World - Times Online
The man who can open his e-mails by power of thought - World - Times Online
“In one example, neural output was coupled to a prosthetic hand, and he was able to open and close the hand under volitional control . . . he achieved this action after a few trials while looking at the hand and without requiring feedback from the cursor display. Lastly, he used a simple multijointed robotic limb to grasp an object and transport it from one location to another.”
Mr Nagle had been paralysed for four years before the study. The results indicate that brain activity involved in motion persists long after spinal injury and can be channelled to control computerised devices. This is important, as many scientists had predicted that the necessary nerve cells might wither with lack of use, making it difficult to harness their signals.