Monkeys Use Brain Interface to Move and Feel Virtual Objects
Scientists have demonstrated that monkeys using a brain-machine interface can not only control a computer with their minds but also “feel” the texture of virtual objects in a computer.
In the experiment, described in paper published today in the journal Nature, Duke University scientists equipped monkeys with brain implants that allowed the animals to control a virtual arm, shown on a computer screen, using only their thoughts.
This part of the experiment was not a new result — scientists, including the Duke team, have previously demonstrated that the brain can control advanced robotic devices and even learn to operate them effortlessly.
Photo by Katie Zhuang