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Brain – Computer Interfaces

The ability to control a computer using only the power of the mind
is closer than one might think. Brain-computer interfaces, where
computers can read and interpret signals directly from the brain,
have already achieved clinical success in allowing quadriplegics,
those suffering “locked-in syndrome” or people who have had a

stroke to move their own wheelchairs or even drink coffee from

a cup by controlling the action of a robotic arm with their brain

waves. In addition, direct brain implants have helped restore partial
vision to people who have lost their sight.

Recent research has focused on the possibility of using brain-
computer interfaces to connect different brains together directly.
Researchers at Duke University last year reported successfully
connecting the brains of two mice over the Internet (into what was
termed a “brain net”) where mice in different countries were able
to cooperate to perform simple tasks to generate a reward. Also
in 2013, scientists at Harvard University reported that they were
able to establish a functional link between the brains of a rat and a
human with a non-invasive, computer-to-brain interface.
Other research projects have focused on manipulating or directly
implanting memories from a computer into the brain. In mid-2013,
MIT researchers reported having successfully implanted a false
memory into the brain of a mouse. In humans, the ability to directly
manipulate memories might have an application in the treatment of
post-traumatic stress disorder, while in the longer term, information
may be uploaded into human brains in the manner of a computer
file. Of course, numerous ethical issues are also clearly raised by this
rapidly advancing field.
Source: World Economic Forum 2014