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.

I can't I'm surprised they backed down, but I'm still disappointed.

Fuck FIFA. Fuck Qatar. Fuck these feckless cowards.

Many studies are not blind as that would simply be impossible, unethical, or both. But with most things like cancer you don't really have to worry about things like placebo effects as you have objective measures like tumor growth.

1-3ft extention cables are perfect for this. You can plug whatever length cable you need into them when you need it and don't have to worry about hiding a bunch of cable when you don't.