Monkey controlling a wheelchair with its mind

Wireless brain interface

Prior - Brain-Machine-Interfaces(BMIs)

BMIs for body locomotion

Miguel Nicoleis

Roam freely using 300 neurons

Imagine trajectory and navigate to target

Part of Nicoleis's Walk Again Project

Read brain waves and translate to signals to control assistive devices

Used by severely disabled patients

Experiment

Hair-thin microfilaments in macaques brains

Trained to navigate their wheelchairs to reward

Translate their brain activity into digital motor commands

Monkeys got better over time - efficient

Implants

Surgery and permanent

Durability - microfibres adhere

Don't damage

Next - Human trials