Mind control

The new technology of brain implants is called brain-computer interface (BCI) and here’s how it works. Electrodes are embedded in the brain or worn on the surface of the skull. These electrodes are sensitive enough to pick up the thought patterns of the user. The user thinks of a motor function such as hitting a ball or opening an email. The computer interprets the neural activity associated with the thought activating the cursor on the screen to perform the function.

A young quadriplegic, Matthew Nagle, had the BCI chip implanted in 2004 and has been the subject of medical research since then. Though considered experimental and highly invasive by medical researchers, the technology is giving hope to young disabled people like Nagle who believe it many someday help them regain mobility.

I think BCI technology is very promising to say the least. It represents the very best technology has to offer – to mitigate human suffering. My adult daughter has a form of epilepsy that is controlled with anti-seizure medication. The medications she has tried are highly toxic causing side effects such as kidney stones, paranoia and a host of other health problems. My hope is that this kind of technology will be developed to control irregular electrical impulses in the brain allowing her to eventually stop taking the medications. We are not that far away technologically speaking from helping people with all kinds of brain injuries and disorders.