Brain-computer interface allows paralyzed users to type

Researchers have developed an intracortical brain-computer interface (iBCI) that allows individuals with paralysis to type on a QWERTY keyboard using only their thoughts. The system works by recording neural activity in the motor cortex through implanted microelectrodes when a user attempts to move their fingers.

In a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the technology was tested on two participants with tetraplegia—one suffering from a spinal cord injury and another with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The computational models interpret the brain's intention to move, translating neural patterns into characters on a screen without requiring physical finger movement. One participant achieved a typing speed of 110 characters per minute.