Interface Lets Paralyzed Patient 'Type' Faster than Ever
A new brain implant technology has enabled two individuals with paralysis to type using their thoughts on a virtual keyboard. This advancement allows one participant to type at speeds comparable to those of able-bodied individuals, marking a significant breakthrough in communication for those with severe disabilities. The study highlights the potential of brain-computer interfaces to restore communication and independence to people affected by paralysis.
- ▪The study involved participants with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal cord injury.
- ▪One participant achieved typing speeds of up to 110 characters per minute with 95% accuracy.
- ▪The research utilized an implantable brain-computer interface and artificial intelligence to decode neural activity.
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How fast can you type on your phone while texting someone? It's possible someone with paralysis will soon be typing faster than you — and with fewer typos.A novel brain implant technology recently helped two people with paralysis communicate by using their thoughts to type on a virtual QWERTY keyboard. A study in Nature Neuroscience describes the research, which included one participant with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and another with a spinal cord injury. One came close to the typical smartphone typing speed of a person without paralysis, what the study authors say is a significant scientific advance.Over the past 20 years, researchers' understanding of how the cortex encodes movement has improved as computers have.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Medscape.
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