This crosses so many disciplines, I'm just posting it here in this general forum. I actually had a dream about this sort of interface a few weeks ago.


http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20020130/hl/monkeys.html

It may seem like science fiction, but scientists say they have developed a technology that enables a monkey to move a cursor on a computer screen simply by thinking about it.

...

Going one step further, her team then trained the monkey to simply think about a movement, without reaching out and touching the screen. A computer program, hooked up to the implanted electrodes, interpreted the monkey's thoughts by tracking flare-ups of brain cell activity. The computer then moved a cursor on the computer screen in accordance with the monkey's desires--left or right, up or down, wherever ``the electrical (brain) pattern tells us the monkey is planning to reach,'' according to Meeker.

``In fact,'' she said, ``we found that he became quite reluctant to move his arm to the reach command once the cursor was introduced into the game. Apparently it was easier just to think about reaching.''

Wow... fascinating progress since bio-feedback invented. But what for it suposse to use?

-To apply to handicaps to control new leg/hand?
Is it ok ok with them if some part it should be implant into their brain?

-Mind reading for headstoned criminals?

-Just a step to the further research?

-To Communicate with our pets? ;)

Just wander, what for it should be...

It really IS amazing.

I guess soon we'll have to say, "If you attach 100 monkies' posterior parietal cortexes with 100 surgically implanted electrodes to 100 computers, how long..." :)

Peace.

Here in the UK we have politicians who "thought" they have been able to do this for years!!:rolleyes:

soon people (like me) will be making bad jokes:

How many monkeys does it take to move a cursor with their thoughts?

One!


ahahahahaaaa

After some refinement, plug a man into a giant war machine or something...