July 12, 2004
Machines Reads Abstract Thought

2004-07-08-1.jpgPasadena Caltech researcher Richard Andersen, and his colleagues have been working on signals from brain cells involved with abstract thought, and have been able to decode them to predict body movement in monkeys' arm movements.

This development suggests that "...all kinds of cognitive signals can be decoded from patients", and the future for prosthetics for paralyzed people is optimistic. Unlike earlier research with monkeys controlling robotic arms, Andersen and his colleagues have been able to "[tap into] the messages of higher-order neurons involved in planning and motivation". It also suggests that other kinds of cognitive signals can be decoded.

[Link from betterhumans]

Posted by nym at July 12, 2004 03:33 AM | TrackBack