The human brain is an astounding and complex piece of machinery. With more than 80 billion neurons in the human cerebral cortex, each with a thousand synapses, our brains process some 100 megabits of information per second. Imagine then, attempting to measure, extract and interpret all the signals in our brain in real time, at the speed of thought. Tapping into the brain might once have been solely in the realms of science fiction – from X-Men to The Matrix – but today, it’s actually possible to link your brain to a computer and control a robotic arm, say, or translate your thoughts into text.
A brain–computer interface (BCI) functions as a bridge between your brain and an external device, typically a computer. BCIs collect, analyse and translate electrical signals from your brain into commands that can be understood and executed by a computer. They can also apply external signals to modulate the brain. Thanks to a combination of neuroscience, biomedicine, physics and technology, BCIs can change the lives of people with serious medical conditions. They also have applications across robotics, neuroscience, technology, gaming and computing.
To read more, click here.