http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/05/29/monkey.robots/index.html (CNN) -- Monkeys with sensors implanted in their brains have learned to control a robot arm with their thoughts, using it to feed themselves with fruit and marshmallows.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists behind the experiment say it will lead to the creation of brain-controlled prosthetic limbs for amputees or patients with degenerative disorders.
"We are beginning to understand how the brain works using brain-machine interface technology," lead researcher Andrew Schwartz wrote in the Nature journal.
"The more we understand about the brain, the better we'll be able to treat a wide range of brain disorders, everything from Parkinson's disease and paralysis to, eventually Alzheimer's disease and perhaps mental illness."
In the experiment, a pair of macaque monkeys were fitted with electrodes the width of a human hair that transmitted signals from areas of the brain linked to movements.
The signals directed the arms to grasp marshmallows and fruit and place it into their mouths in "one natural-looking motion," the Nature article said.
With their real arms restrained, the monkeys learned how to control the arms in a matter of days, negotiating obstacles and tilting their heads and moving their eyes without affecting the robotic limbs.
Who woulda thunk!
Hmmm...