Brain Interface Lets Monkeys Control Prosthetic Limbs

himicos was one of many readers to point out one recent success of scientists working to develop working brain-machine interfaces, writing "A team at the university of Pittsburgh has finally advanced a 2002 technology enough for use in prosthetic limbs, the targeted application all along. Training computer models to the firing patterns of the neurons in the parts of the brain that control motion, they are able to project the intentions of a monkey to a robotic arm, which follows the will of the animal. The sad thing about the articles is that the beauty of the mathematics used to create and train the models is totally ignored." Reader phpmysqldev adds a link to coverage at the BBC, and writes "This of course brings significant hope to amputees and other other people with physical disabilities." (Note that this research has been going on for quite some time.)

And just like that...

[oahazmatt]

Brain Interface Lets Monkeys Control Prosthetic Limbs

And just like that, a SciFi channel original movie is conceived.

Adapting the technology

[utnapistim]

So ... I realize that this will ultimately be adapted to humans, but could it be adapted to something else?

Specifically, I'm thinking of adapting a laser prosthetic arm, to be used by the poor, armless sharks ...

It's just an idea ...

Other other...

[Taibhsear]

This of course brings significant hope to amputees and other other Mad Scientists

Fixed that for you.

PLEASE tell me it makes them type faster

[elrous0]

I've got 1,000 of these smelly bastards sitting in a room full of typewriters, and NOT ONE of them has produced the works of Shakespeare yet.

monkeys

[Anonymous Coward]

if i were unfortunate enough to be an amputee, i would not like a monkey to be operating my prosthetic limbs.

Re:And just like that...

[elrous0]

You reserve the studio in Bulgaria, I'll call Bruce Campbell!

Other X-creatures

[192939495969798999]

That's nothing, I know tons of girls like Rogue, that can steal your powers by touching you.

hope to amputees

[Paul Rose]

>>This of course brings significant hope to amputees
As long as they don't mind carrying a monkey to control their prosthetic arm...

No typing required!

[Ukab the Great]

Now the infinite number of monkeys will only need to *think* about Hamlet.

Re:And just like that...

[Sponge Bath]

I'll call Bruce Campbell!

Add Glen Campbell and make it 'Monkey Robot Overlords: The Musical!'

When servicing the equipment...

[cruff]

Don't forget to always mount a scratch monkey.

Re:PITA!

[Jor-Al]

Why does a piece of flatbread want this research to stop?

Not impressed.

[JoeD]

Get back to me when they can use the robotic arm to fling poo.

Re:what about the monkeys?

[Anonymous Coward]

cracking open a monkey's head to perform these experiments?

Mmmm, tasty monkey brain.

Re:Monkey's opinion

[nategoose]

He/she might be thinking "I wish this @#$@ing robot arm thing would quit stuffing those @%#$ed marshmallows in my mouth!"

Re:Adapting the technology

[Yogiz]

I'm just stoked that in a few years I'll be able to type with two hands again =)

And I with four.

Re:Forget Replacement Limbs...

[crymeph0]

Fair enough, but can't this research be directly applied to my one-man-cyborg-army-of-the-apocalypse idea, even though that's not the PR angle they're going for?

Once this technology advances to the stage where we can get genuine Darth Vader(tm) brand prosthetics after our various lightsaber mishaps, I'm just hoping that some entrepreneurial young Doctor will implant the control chips in perfectly healthy people for a fee, which you could then hook to the hardware of your choice. Of course, this may have to take place in a third world country where the FDA doesn't hold back novel ideas just because they aren't "medically necessary", or because it's an "abomination before God", or some such drivel.

Re:Other X-creatures

[Inda]

How many more times..? It's not stealing, it's copyright infringement.

Re:How long until.... ?

[117]

How long until one of these monkeys kills the scientists with his robotic arm, in retaliation for them removing his perfectly good arm?

If they keep interrupting me whilst I'm trying to post on /. , then not much longer....

Re:sci-fi pondering

[FishWithAHammer]

True. Crashing my X-wing could necessitate one.

Re:Explain the beauty?

[Hognoxious]

Showing all the math that needs to be done. or Show a picture of a monkey with a robotic arm.

It's just the same here. Consider:

• I for one welcome our very hard mathematics doing overlords
• I for one welcome our new bionic monkey overlords

In Soviet Russia the same league isn't even in THEM!!!!

Re:PITA!

[TheRealMindChild]

PITA is a bread?! I thought it was an acronym describing my wife. She sure does love the monkeys

Re:Forget Replacement Limbs...

[BattleApple]

You may be on to something. I've been trying to gain control of my third leg for years, but it seems to have a mind of its own.

Re:PLEASE tell me it makes them type faster

[mazarin5]

But for some reason, the bionic monkeys seem to produce "Kill all humans" an unexpectedly large amount of the time.

Re:Forget Replacement Limbs...

[pluther]

So go ahead and build your cybernetic superhumans to do your bidding, but you might have to sign a contract that says you'll do the bidding of the US government, too.

Sure, go ahead and sign the contract.

Just remember that when all's said and done, you're the one with the army of cyborg supersoldiers.

Re:sci-fi pondering

[Brieeyebarr]

Or misspelling Wookiee, you insensitive clod!