Test subjects with electrode implants use mind control to move a cursor

As trippy as mind-control still seems to us, we’ve already seen it implemented in everything from wheelchairs to pricey gaming ( and car driving! ) headsets. But the problem is that they measure brain activity outside the skull — you know, the thing we’ve evolved to shield the murky goings-on in our minds from prying EEG sensors. Now, though, a team of Washington University researchers appears to have happened upon a more effective — albeit, invasive — approach. The researchers got some brave specimens to move a mouse cursor by implanting plastic pads containing electrodes underneath their skulls, with the sensors sitting on the surface of the brain . That, they say, gives them access to more telling, high-frequency waves that say a lot more about cognitive intentions. In the end, the subjects moved the cursors by thinking one of these sounds: “ee,” “ah,” “oo,” and “eh.” Brain-computer interfaces ain’t new, of course, but the scientists say the subjects with electrode implants had more success than people wearing electrode-studded EEG caps, which could translate to less frustration for people with severe disabilities. Test subjects with electrode implants use mind control to move a cursor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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