At one time or another, perhaps in dorm rooms or around a campfire, we've all heard half-baked theories that go a little like this: "Like...in the future...we're gonna have microchips in our brains, man. And we'll be able to control computers with...just our mind, man."
Turns out those dopey, sophomoric ruminations weren't too off target.
BLOG: Mini-Horse Gets Prosthetic Leg
Researchers at the University of Michigan recently developed a noninvasive, low-power brain implant that could lead to several technological advances, including the neural manipulation of of prosthetic limbs. This could help amputees and paralysis victims move their prosthetics with their minds.
The implant, called BioBolt, can be inserted into the skull without penetrating the brain's cortex. The implant fits above the skull and in covered by a layer of skin, making it inconspicuous and practical, unlike other neural implants that require a patient's skull to be opened for use.
The BioBolt could also help doctors diagnose diseases like epilepsy, according to Euisik Yoon, a Michigan professor and the principal investigator on this project.
PHOTOS: Animals Fitted with Prosthetic Limbs
"We can move their prosthetics or plastic arms via signal," Yoon told InnovationNewsDaily. "[O]r identify the location of [epileptic] seizures with this minimally invasive procedure."
But Yoon says more testing and research is needed before the device can be used for practical purposes. In the near future, Yoon says his team plans to experiment with BioBolt on primates.
[Via TechNewsDaily]
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