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'Brain Carpet' Translates Thoughts Into Action

Eric Bland, Discovery News

"The initial impetus of this development was an even more precise determination of the epileptic focus position and size," said Kevin Otto, a professor at Purdue University familiar with the research.

"However, as demonstrated by the Utah group, these electrodes can also be used for inputs to brain-machine interface devices."

The patients, just by thinking about moving their right or left hands and arms, were able to move a computer cursor around a screen. For patients who are paralyzed or suffer from being "locked-in," or having a functional brain but with no means to move the muscles, it could be a new, albeit intrusive, way to communicate or move.

"If we can give them the ability to communicate at all, that would be great," said Greger.

HowStuffWorks.com: How Thought-Controlled Wheelchairs Work

University of South Florida

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

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