‘Mental typewriter’ controlled by thought alone

March 10, 2006 | Source: NewScientist.com news service

The Berlin Brain-Computer Interface (“mental typewriter”) makes it possible to type messages onto a computer screen by mentally controlling the movement of a cursor.

A user wears a cap containing electrodes that measure EEG signals and imagines moving their left or right arm to maneuver the cursor. It could allow paralysed patients to operate computers, or for amputees to operate electronically controlled artificial limbs. It could also be used for computer games and entertainment.