Monkey with tiny brain implant can move cursor just by thinking

Associated Press

Published Mar 13, 2002
A monkey with a tiny device implanted in its brain can move a computer cursor just by thinking.

Researchers let the monkey use its hands to operate a joystick and move the cursor to touch dots on a screen for a reward of orange juice.

After the monkey learned the skills, the researchers developed a program to let the monkey move the cursor with its brain.

The development is the latest to raise hopes that paralyzed people might be able to control complex devices with their minds. But the researchers can't tell when that might come.

The researchers are at Brown University. The study is in the journal Nature.