People with serious physical disabilities are unable to do the everyday things that most of us take for granted despite having the will – and the brainpower – to do so. This is changing thanks to European projects such as TOBI (Tools for Brain-Computer Interaction). People with limited mobility can write emails and even regain control of paralysed limbs through thought alone.
TOBI received EUR 9 million in EU research funding to develop practical technology for brain-computer interaction to improve the quality of life of people…
TOBI involved at least three kinds of brain-to-computer dialogue which meant paralysed patients could communicate and even move.
The first involved sending brain signals to a computer cursor via electrodes attached to a cap worn on the head. Simply by thinking about what they wanted to type, patients could remotely control the computer cursor to surf the web and write emails and texts.
In the second experiment, patients sent brain signals to control a small robot with video, audio and obstacle-detection sensors. They could then use the robot to take a ‘virtual’ walk around the hospital or even hook up with loved ones in different places.
Other patients were able to regain control of their paralysed limbs just by thinking about moving them. This was done using computer software designed to detect a patient’s intention to perform a certain motor function. In some cases, intensive training and rehabilitation helped them to keep that control even after the electronics were removed.