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19
Jul 2006

The digital Telepathy: from fiction to reality

Can we communicate without words, gestures nor mimics and remotely?
The Parapsychology confirms it, however the objective sciences were less convinced until the 13th of July 2006 when a paralysed man managed, with a sensor
implanted in his brain, to control a computer, a television and a robot with his thoughts!

According to the article published in the New York Times, John P.Donoghue, a Neurology professor at Brown university invented 4-by-4 millimeter sensors containing one hundred tiny electrodes. The device was introduced in the patient`s motor cortex region, responsible of the arm movement, and connected to a pedestal crossing his skull.
The patient, connected to the computer through the pedestal, had to imagine moving his arm to reach certain desired targets. He succeeded in moving a mouse cursor, read his emails, play a video game, draw a circle on the computer screen, move the arm of a robot, change channels and control the volume of a televison set.

Even though many physical constraints limit the operation of the device, this invention integrates the concepts of digitisation and digital transmission of thoughts in the scientific research. We may also see this experiment as a new dimension in Accessibility where the Technology allows to interact with the thoughts regardless of the physical disabilities one can have.

It is therefore time to explore such modes of communication and interaction which will allow these “imprisoned brains” to finally express themselves.

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