Neural Control Interface, Mind-Machine Interface, Direct Neural Interface, Neurotechnology
Applications of Brain Computer Interfaces
Brain computer interfaces have been providing, and will continue to provide, critical applications in medicine. They can help people with paralysis, amputation, and a host of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and epilepsy; BCIs can help restore movement and communication to those with impairments. BICs are already helping many people; deep brain stimulation, for example, treats Parkinson’s disease, depression, OCD , and other conditions.
The potential to communicate with one another via computer— mind reading , essentially—naturally has applications for a wide array of domains, including education , national security, marketing , entertainment, and wellness.
BCIs have applications for any condition that involves movement or communication impairments, because the interface could signal their intentions to a machine that could carry out those functions, as well as conditions that involve monitoring or correcting abnormal brain signaling. Conditions include paralysis, amputation, brain injury, stroke, epilepsy, dementia , ALS, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, Huntington’s disease, vocal cord damage, mouth or throat cancer, Parkinson’s disease, hearing loss, and other medical and developmental disorders.
In one recent study, researchers used artificial intelligence to create a system that reads a person’s brain signals and generates novel images of their thoughts . In another, researchers used artificial intelligence and brain computer interface technologies to learn and then generate faces that people view as beautiful .
Explore More About Brain Computer Interface
For a comprehensive understanding of brain computer interface, read our complete guide: