Brain Implant Allows Fully Paralyzed Patient to Communicate
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An experimental brain-computer interface has allowed a man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who was unable to speak or move to communicate. Using a commercially available implant and newly designed software, the patient, who was in the advanced stages of Lou Gehrig's disease and unable to move his eyes, was able to interact with researchers and caregivers, requesting goulash, beer, and music from the band Tool, thanking the researchers who developed the technology and inviting his 4-year-old son to watch a Disney film. The investigators note the study shows for the first time that communication is possible in patients in a completely locked-in state (CLIS) and offers hope for a better quality of life in this population.
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@koushin Use of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to allow ALS patients to communicate has increased in recent years. BCIs capture brain signals, transmit them to a computer and convert them into a command that the computer carries out. Previous research shows patients with ALS who retain eye movement and control have been able to use BCIs to communicate. However, until now, the technology has not worked as well in CLIS patients, who have full-body paralysis.