Chinese Scientists Conduct World’s First Brain-Implant Experiment on Monkey
Chinese scientists from the University of Nankai have made a breakthrough in neuroscience with the first-ever experiment in which a monkey controlled a robotic hand through a sensor implanted in her brain. The sensor was introduced through a blood vessel rather than opening the skull, making the procedure safer and less invasive than traditional methods. The sensor read electrical signals from the monkey’s brain and transmitted them to the robot, which performed movements according to the animal’s commands.
The breakthrough holds great promise for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients suffering from impaired motor function due to conditions like strokes and lateral amyotrophic sclerosis. The technology of brain-machine interfaces can assist in restoring communication with the world outside and improving the quality of life.
Chinese scientists plan to continue their research in this field and develop a national brand of high-tech medical equipment to compete with global leaders.
In contrast, Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which develops brain-computer interfaces, has recently faced accusations of animal abuse during their research. However, the company has denied the allegations, stating that it follows all the necessary ethical guidelines to protect animals and aims to help people with neurological disorders.
Meanwhile, scientists at the University of Texas have developed a language decoder that can interpret people’s thoughts and convert them into text using artificial intelligence. They achieved this by studying the patterns in the brain’s fMRI signals, which enabled the decoder to understand the essence of stories that people watched, listened to, or imagined.
Finally, Synchron has become the first company to implant a brain-computer interface into a patient’s brain in the United States. The implant enables the patient to send messages to social networks directly through the interface.