I think, therefore I move

by Brian Lambson in Berkeley Science Review Blog

Mind reading has come a long way from its ignominious origins alongside the likes of fortune telling and witchcraft. Scientists and medical doctors have made great strides in their ability to extract and interpret electromagnetic signals from the brain, and unlike mind readers of the past, they have very real practical gains to show for it. One notable success story is the cochlear implant, which is currently in use by nearly a quarter of a million deaf or hard-of-hearing patients.  (For a look at more state-of-the-art applications in the field, consider attending the upcoming California Cognitive Science Conference, featured on our blog last week by Chris Holdgraf).

The so-called brain-machine interface (BMI) technology has not yet been perfected to the point that we need to worry about hackers stealing our secrets or erasing our memories. But it has come far enough that researchers may soon be able to restore physical and sensory functionality to patients with immobilizing conditions such as paralysis and Parkinson’s Disease. Scientists at UC Berkeley and UCSF’s Center for Neural Engineering and Prostheses (CNEP) are among the pioneers in developing this sort of brain repair technology.

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