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Researchers have developed a brain interface that can function as a regular Bluetooth mouse. A compact array of 96 electrodes receive signals from the brain, which are then decoded and translated into cursor movement and clicks with special software. Combined with Android's auto complete feature, test subjects managed to type up to 40 characters per minute, and were able to complete relatively basic tasks like checking email, browsing videos online, and reading news. While researchers are a long way away from replacing the mouse and keyboard, this still represents a dramatic usability improvement for people with little or no motor function.
To our knowledge, this is the first use of a commercial, unmodified general-purpose computing device and associated programs through a BCI by people with paralysis. The performance achieved here is high enough to be useful for individuals unable to control computing devices using conventional, manual input devices. We also note that these studies were conducted 2.75 years (T6), nine months (T9), and four months (T5) after implantation of the electrode arrays. This provides additional evidence that iBCIs can potentially provide high-quality control for extended periods of time.
To our knowledge, this is the first use of a commercial, unmodified general-purpose computing device and associated programs through a BCI by people with paralysis. The performance achieved here is high enough to be useful for individuals unable to control computing devices using conventional, manual input devices. We also note that these studies were conducted 2.75 years (T6), nine months (T9), and four months (T5) after implantation of the electrode arrays. This provides additional evidence that iBCIs can potentially provide high-quality control for extended periods of time.
