| severely handicapped people who cannot contract even one leg or arm muscle now can independently compose and send e-mails and operate a TV in their homes. They are using only their thoughts to execute these actions |
| Thanks to the rapid pace of research on the BMI, one day these and other individuals may be able to feed themselves with a robotic arm and hand that moves according to their mental commands |
| In previous studies, this lab developed the technology to tap a macaque monkey’s motor cortical neural activity making it possible for the animal to use its thoughts to control a robotic arm to reach for food targets presented in 3D space |
| also opened and closed the robotic arm’s hand, or gripper |
| The monkey’s own arm and hand did not move while it manipulated the two-finger gripper at the end of the robotic arm |
| these devices will help amputees and paralyzed patients to perform everyday tasks |
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