A male patient with ALS learned to communicate sentences through the microchip implant
Swiss and German researchers claim they've developed a brain-computer interface (BCI), an implanted device, which allowed a 34-year-old man with severe ALS to interact with others — and even order a beer!
The progressive neurodegenerative condition - also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease gradually robs patients of the ability to move and talk.
Nearly 30,000 Americans are affected by the illness. Current assistive devices rely on eye or facial muscle movement to operate speech-generating devices like late physicist Stephen Hawking's robotic voice generator. But advanced ALS can leave folks with zero ability to trigger the equipment. This leaves patients in a terrifying locked-in state, where they may be aware of their surroundings but are unable to respond.
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