Neuralink Patient Steers a Matic Robot Vacuum With His Thoughts
Matic released video of ALS patient Jack McManus steering a robot vacuum through a Neuralink brain-computer interface, without using his hands.
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giftdetect· the right gift in minutesRobotics company Matic has released a video showing a person with ALS cleaning a floor with nothing but his thoughts. The company said on November 2 that Jack McManus used Neuralink's brain-computer interface (BCI) to move a robot vacuum.
McManus operated a virtual joystick inside the vacuum's smartphone app. Instead of touching the screen, he controlled that joystick through the Neuralink implant, so the vacuum moved without any use of his hands.
How the implant works
McManus is the 22nd person to receive a Neuralink implant. The chip picks up signals in the brain that express an intention to move and converts them into digital commands that can operate electronic devices.
The robot vacuum is not his first use of the technology. He has already used Neuralink to operate a laptop and a TV.
What comes next
McManus said he wants to extend the range of devices he can control to include a lawn mower and delivery robots. The demonstration points to a practical direction for BCI technology: not only moving a cursor on a screen, but operating everyday machines in the home and beyond.
For people with conditions such as ALS, which gradually erodes the ability to move, that kind of control could restore some independence in daily tasks. The video shows one household appliance, and the stated plans cover outdoor and delivery robots, but no timeline for those has been given.
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