With virtual surgery, robots that aid in rehabilitation, or computer systems that analyze medical data, Computer Science (CS) proved to be an increasingly important part of medical advances. A recently developed innovation - brain-machine interface (BMI) technology - once again exemplifies CS’s versatile applications. BMI aims to help people with severe disability use mental commands to execute every day actions, such as sending emails or operating a TV.
Research on BMI has demonstrated positive progress. At University of Pittsburgh, scientists developed the technology that allows monkeys to mentally control a robotic arm to feed itself pieces of fruit. The electrical signals generated in the monkey’s brain when it thinks about the action would be recorded by tiny electrodes implanted in the motor cortex. A computer-decoding algorithm would translate the signals and trigger the arm’s movement (Science Daily). This brain-controlled device might hold the key to a better future for paralyzed patients, assisting them in performing simple tasks.
Recently, a robotic wheelchair that combines brain control with AI was also developed by researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. This technology was a step forward from the Electroencephalography (EEG). For EEG, users need to wear a skullcap and constantly make mental commands to maneuver the wheelchair around, which could be pretty tiring. The newly developed robotic wheelchair, on the other hand, allows patients to think of the command only once, and then the software would take care of the rest (Technology Review).
Such promising results in researching about BMI shows the future potential for this technology. If successful, these mentally-controlled devices and wheelchairs would revolutionize the lives of those who have lost their muscle control and mobility.
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