Australian researchers have used the “wonder material” graphene to develop a sensor that could enable anyone to control robot technology with their minds.

“The hands-free, voice-free technology works outside laboratory settings, anytime, anywhere,” said co-developer Francesca Iacopi. “It makes interfaces such as consoles, keyboards, touchscreens, and hand-gesture recognition redundant.”

The challenge: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are systems that translate brain activity into commands for machines, usually for medical reasons. A person with a limb amputation can use one to control a prosthetic with their mind, while someone with paralysis could use a BCI to “type” words on a computer screen just by thinking about them.

Summary: It may be possible to optimize the stimulation parameters of brain implants in animals without human intervention. The study highlights the potential for autonomous optimization of prostheses implanted in the brain. The advance may prove to be beneficial for those with spinal cord injury and diseases that affect movement.

Source: University of Montreal.

Scientists have long studied neurostimulation to treat paralysis and sensory deficits caused by strokes and spinal cord injuries, which in Canada affect some 380,000 people across the country.