A 62-year-old Australian man became the first person to send out a message on social media using a brain-computer interface (BCI).
The patient was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a nervous system disease that left him motionless. Thanks to the Stentrode brain-computer interface, Philip O’Keefe was able to share a post on Twitter by simply thinking about it.
It’s incredible to think a whole new quality of life can be given to those who struggle with mobility or are even completely paralysed.
But for now, the question on all our minds… What did the tweet say?
no need for keystrokes or voices. I created this tweet just by thinking it. #helloworldbci
— Thomas Oxley (@tomoxl) December 23, 2021
BCI’s are the next big thing in technology, with people like Elon Musk wanting to use them as soon as next year to enhance the human experience.
Synchron, the company that created this technology, released a statement about its success. The implant, “designed to enable patients to wirelessly control digital devices through thought,” was inserted via the jugular vein to avoid drilling into the skull.
It sounds pretty hectic but in reality, it’s not that intrusive considering the outcome.
“When I first heard about this technology, I knew how much independence it could give back to me. The system is astonishing, it’s like learning to ride a bike – it takes practice, but once you’re rolling, it becomes natural,” said O’Keefe.
“Now, I just think about where on the computer I want to click, and I can email, bank, shop, and now message the world via Twitter.” Synchron quote O’Keefe.
“My hope is that I’m paving the way for people to tweet through thoughts,” was his closing statement.
Does anyone else remember that South Park episode? We better learn to keep our minds out of the gutter before this thing really kicks off.
