With the use of less invasive and safer procedures, A trial has begun on a device that will help people suffering from cerebral palsy. to control their Apple devices, specifically the iPad and iPhone. They won't need to use their hands; they'll simply give mental commands that the device will obey.
Although it is not the first invention of this type to be made public, It has already received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration so that testing can begin. The company covers the costs associated with the surgery, as well as the maintenance of the small device while it remains in use.
Patients with paralysis can connect their iPhones to their brains to type messages with their minds
Dozens of science fiction films and series have shown over the years how some of their protagonists, with a chip implanted in their head, can perform multiple functions. Now this will move from the movies to real life with this device created by Synchron, a company headquartered in New York City that this week reported on the progress of the technology it is developing to manipulate devices with just the mind.
The Synchron Switch is a cutting-edge device that allows patients with severe paralysis to control an iPhone or iPad using only their brain. https://t.co/T2UIgzUNl3
— Business Insider Spain (@BIEspana) November 4, 2022
One of the objectives they are pursuing in this case is to help patients who have any type of cerebral palsy with the use of the BCI, acronyms which in Spanish mean brain-computer interface, according to the report published on the Semafor portal.
The device name is Synchron Switch, which contains several sensors that, through the movements of the neural networks It turns thoughts into commands that are carried out in the following minutes.
It is a procedure similar to that which healthy people perform to ensure the proper functioning of other organs in the body. For example, to walk or raise your hands.
Those who are paralyzed send the commands, but the muscles do not respond because they are atrophied.In order for the device to function, it is inserted into the brain through one of the blood vessels, and the rest of the process is carried out wirelessly.
One of the advantages of this advance is that It does not need to be placed directly in the brain, but rather in the neural tissues. Its size is similar to that of an AAA battery and to date there are six patients using it as a trial.
One of them is Australian Rodney Gorham, who has been able to control the device and even send some one-word text messages. Undoubtedly, it is a revolutionary innovation that will be of great help. Through a press release, The company highlighted that they are excited about the advancements, especially because of the versatility. that Apple equipment provides.
They estimate that thousands of these implants can be performed within a maximum period of 15 years.These advancements will change the lives of people with these conditions. Further development will continue in the coming days to refine this technology.
Soon we will be able to connect any device to our brains
There are many inventions that aim to control electronic devices with commands from the brain. One of them is called Neuralink, which is promoted by Elon Musk to intervene in devices through brain activity.
It was created in 2016 and its creators claim that the mouse could be controlled using Bluetooth.the keyboard and even applications installed on a device. What is implanted are very fine threads, similar to hair, with the necessary flexibility to function. Before implanting it in humans, they conduct tests with robots.
Neuralink, Elon Musk's company founded in 2016, aims to test its chips implanted in the human brain by 2022. This would allow patients with paralysis to control technological devices with their minds. #brain #elonmusk #Neuralinkhttps://t.co/m7alUSFES8
— proZesa is Technology and Science (@proZesa_com) February 27, 2022
A previous experience is the so-called BrainGate, a method developed in 2006 by Cyberkinetics, With the aim of helping those who have lost control of their limbs, it consists of a sensor implanted in the brain that then monitors brain activity to convert wishes into commands, which in turn become requests.
The first tests performed on humans showed that it was possible to control a cursor or open the email inbox. Starting in 2014, the recruitment of volunteers began with the mission of perfecting the system.
On the other hand, a group of researchers from Baylor University and the University of California, San Diego, They are developing independent neural sensors, similar to a grain of salt, that can record and stimulate patients' brain activity. They believe the results will be promising. They will help create new therapies and treatments for paralysis problemsIt is a thin patch the size of a fingerprint and uses electrical impulses to perform its function.
It should be noted that in the last decade the use of this type of device in different areas has increased considerably. Also Virtual reality headsets are used that are capable of obeying brain commands. And in the field of video games, many have been developed using neurotechnology. Chips are becoming increasingly smaller, with the aim of making them less invasive.
Many people are wondering how useful these devices will be. Stephanie Mullen, a neuroscience specialist, He argues that if these kinds of inventions can control the communication between neurons, the time will come when various pathologies, such as Parkinson's disease, can be treated. That would be a major scientific breakthrough, but the research is still in its early stages.
Finally, Many question the issue of mental privacy And that there are risks that the interface could be used to hack information stored in the brain, or that it could modify freedom of action and thought. However, specialists conclude that the risk will not be very high, since, due to the costs, only a small group of people will have access to this new technology, at least for a while.
