With this toy you can actually play video games without having to move a finger. Hell, the wire goes from your head directly to the computer; you can pretty much do anything from there even if you're paralized (and this device is intended for people who are). They've shown moderate progress so far, reporting that "using the device, [the paralyzed patient] was able to move a computer cursor to open an e-mail, play simple computer games, open and close a prosthetic hand, and use a robot limb to grasp and move objects."
I just can't get over the possibilities of being able to connect directly to a computer and *control* it. Now, we probably won't see the end result (cyborgs) in our lifetimes, but we might see paralized people controlling their own wheelchairs, mute people talking via computer-speakers... endless possibilities. Think of this: You're 80 years old and can barely move your muscles; but you have this chip in your brain that is connected to a computer from where you can control your wheelchair and any electronic device in your house just by thinking about it. I'm pretty sure you can come up with a way of making yourself a drink if given that technology. I even have a slogan for them: "Have a happy life even if you can't move, your kids hate you, and you've never even met your grandkids." I don't think these scientists realize the full scope of what they're on to.
They say their goal is to make it so you can control body parts through this sensor, even if your spinal cord has been blasted to oblivion. Like I said, I doubt we'll see the end result (cyborgs!), but I still think we'll see some brilliant shit before we go. And I haven't even begun to think (ok, maybe a little) about how this can be used on dead people once we discover how to keep a brain working without its body.
Ok, I'm done ranting. If anybody reads this far I'll be, fucking... surprised.
Here's the link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5167938.stm
