Essay About Brain Implants Help And Essay Preview

Brain Implants Help Physically Challenged
Essay Preview: Brain Implants Help Physically Challenged
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Brain Implants Help Physically Challenged
The ever-increasing presence of computers in everyones lives has generated an
awareness of the need to address computing requirements for those who have or may develop
physical limitations. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires any company with 15
or more employees to make reasonable attempts to accommodate the needs of physically
challenged workers (Grube 98).
The phrase, “Monkey see, monkey do” may need revision to “Monkey think, monkey do”
after analyzing the latest research. Scientists implanted small chips in rhesus monkeys brains
and then trained the animals to move a joystick with their hands and chase a red dot moving
around a monitor screen. The implant, which is the size of a small pea, recorded the signals sent
from the motor cortex of the brain, which controls movement, to the hands. These signals were
analyzed and then translated to computer instructions that repeated the same movement.
In the next step, the joystick was disconnected. One monkey was able to repeat the cursor
action merely by thinking about the joystick motion (Computers and Your Future).
The researchers are hoping their work will help paralyzed individuals use their minds to
control computers and other devices within the decade. Some humans already have a similar
device implanted, but the newest hardware is smaller, has thinner wires, and uses fewer neurons
to function. Applications could include allowing paralyzed individuals to read e-mail messages,
browse the Web, control remote robotic devices, and move artificial limbs. The researchers are
hopeful that this technology will help physically