Real avatars have started to appear more quickly than even might have expected.
In an experiment we鈥檇 rather not imagine, scientists , allowing one primate鈥檚 brain to control the other鈥檚 body. 聽
Although it might sound gruesome, the researchers hope their work鈥攑artly inspired by 鈥攚ill help patients with nerve or spinal paralysis.
To pull off this mind-control feat, the team implanted a microchip in the 鈥渕aster鈥 monkey鈥檚 brain so it could control the avatar鈥檚 movements. The avatar had a chip plugged into its spinal cord.
“So the hookup was basically a computational link where we 鈥 matched everything that the monkey, that the master, was thinking about, and then matched that with movements produced in the avatar,鈥 , who co-authored the study. “It was actually through a computer interface, but in theory you could do it wirelessly as well.”
The study looked only at movement in animals, but if subsequent trials are successful, scientists could bring the research to paralyzed human arms or robotic limbs.
Suddenly doesn鈥檛 seem so futuristic anymore.