A paralyzed man has posted his first "direct thought tweet" after a computer chip was implanted in his brain, The Independent reports.
Philip O'Keefe, a 62-year-old Australian with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), composed and posted the tweet using only his ideas, via a brain-computer interface developed by neurotechnology startup Synchron.
O'Keefe explained - commenting on what he had done - that "there is no need to use computer keys or pronounce words, this tweet was made by me just by thinking about it," according to what was stated in the tweet that was published on Twitter on the account of the CEO of the company. Thomas Oaksley.
After the first tweet, O'Keefe posted 7 more tweets, in response to questions from Twitter users.
The Stentrode was first implanted in April 2020 after O'Keefe's condition had deteriorated to the point where he was no longer able to engage in work or other independent activities.
The device was inserted through the jugular vein to avoid invasive brain surgery, and since then O'Keefe has been able to reconnect with loved ones and colleagues via email, as well as play simple computer-based games like Solitaire.
"When I first heard about this technology, I knew how much independence it could bring me back," O'Keefe said after posting his tweet, according to a press release from Synchron. "It's an amazing system, like learning to ride a bike, it takes practice, but once you get used to it." Then, it becomes normal."
"Now, I just think about where I want to click on my computer, I can email, I bank, I shop, and now I can send messages to the world on Twitter."
According to the British newspaper, the Stentrode synchronization device allows direct communication between the human brain and a computer without the need to write or speak.
It took 4 hours after the device was implanted to be able to use it to enter text on a computer.
"These fun holiday tweets are actually an important moment in the field of implantable brain computer interfaces," said Thomas Oxley.
The first human study of Synchron's brain-computer interface is scheduled to take place in the United States next year.
They will deny one of several neurotech start-ups making major advances in brain-computer interface technologies called BCI, as billionaire Elon Musk's company Neuralink also plans to begin human trials. on these technologies in 2022.
Previously, Musk stated that Neuralink devices would be able to do everything from fully restore body functions to quadriplegics, to broadcasting music directly to the brain.
Experiments have already been conducted in pigs and monkeys, using an electrode transmitter that allowed a 9-year-old macaque called a Bigger to play video games using only his brain.
Musk says the ultimate goal of this technology is to enable humans to compete with advanced AI.
