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Layer_Signal t1_j624v6v wrote

Can someone ELI5 this for me: how does sticking a wire in someone's brain actually communicate their thoughts to a computer to type?

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fatbunyip t1_j62mnvv wrote

Basically it's many very small wires that can pick up signals from small clusters of neurons in a specific area.

The idea is that the activity in the neurons when you think "move hand left" is different to when you think "move hand right". So once it's installed, you can get the person to think something, record the brain activity, and then you build a map of what brain activity matches what actions.

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flusteredpie t1_j62x8k6 wrote

Interesting. Does it ever require recalibration or are the signals constant with age?

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martland28 t1_j63l7l7 wrote

There’s not yet a universal calibration application so each BCI system is calibrated for each patient. Furthermore, yes, sometimes recalibration is necessary if the intended outcomes are bit off from what was expected.

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SeattleBattles t1_j63f1o7 wrote

It doesn't read their thoughts per se. It detects signals from their motor cortex. When you speak that part of your brain tells your tongue, mouth, throat, ect to move in certain ways. Even though these signals don't make it to those body parts when a person has ALS, they are still there. The implant detects those signals and can tell what the person was trying to say.

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