In a neuroprosthetic first, ALS patient sends social media message via brain-computer interface
Philip O’Keefe, a 62-year-old amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patient in Australia recently became the first person to post a message on social media using only his thoughts. On December 23, he posted an initial brief message, “Hello World,” on Twitter.
O’Keefe, like other ALS patients, experienced progressive paralysis, which left him unable to speak earlier this year. The SBCI was implanted in April and he began using it to communicate shortly thereafter—he is now able to compose messages by thinking of words or actions (such as mouse clicks), which are translated to activity on a computer screen. His history-making social media message was posted on Twitter using Synchron CEO Thomas Oxley’s account. His initial message was followed up by a lengthier text detailing how he had come to embrace the new technology. He also noted that he is hoping that his involvement in the SBCI program will help to pave the way for new kinds of technology that will allow those who have lost the ability to speak or move to regain their independence.
Officials with Synchron have noted in the past that they plan to expand on the SBCI to include development of devices that can be used to diagnose and perhaps even treat conditions such as Parkinson’s, hypertension, epilepsy and even depression.
Source: techexplore
Woke Matrix Scriptwriters Complain About The Phrase ‘Red Pilled’ Being ‘Kidnapped By Right Wingers’
Woke Matrix Scriptwriters Complain About The Phrase ‘Red Pilled’ Being ‘Kidnapped By Right Wingers’
In a neuroprosthetic first, ALS patient sends social media message via brain-computer interface