"A chip placed in his brain helps him play video games and use a mechanical arm."

Aided by a tiny chip implanted in his brain, a 25-year-old quadriplegic played video games, controlled a television and operated a mechanical arm using only his thoughts, researchers said Wednesday.

The technology, reported in the journal Nature, is the latest step toward enabling people paralyzed by stroke, spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, to control their wheelchairs or feed themselves simply by thinking about those actions.

Developed by Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems Inc. in Foxborough, Mass., the implant transmits faint electrical signals from the brain to a computer equipped with software that translates thought to action.

For the full story, please go to:
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-brain13jul13,1,6069633.story?ctrack=1&cset=true


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