A 26-year-old woman with paralysis from a spinal cord injury has learned to control a computer cursor using only her thoughts, one month after receiving a brain-computer interface implant at the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University in China. Surgeons placed eight microscopic flexible electrodes into her motor cortex; the signals are transmitted wirelessly to a computer and decoded into cursor commands, letting her navigate software without any physical movement. Doctors say her recovery was faster than expected, and future training will focus on mind-controlled wheelchairs. It’s described as only the third successful clinical BCI case in China.
Why it matters: Brain-computer interfaces are moving from lab trials toward everyday tools like cursor and wheelchair control, which could restore digital and physical independence for people with severe paralysis.
Source: China News Service (ECNS) →
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