"Turning Thoughts into Action"

As technology continues to improve, it provides new and exciting opportunities for people living with injuries. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brown University are currently working on a neurotechnology to turn a person’s “thoughts into action,” literally. Essentially, this complex process involves a computer chip reading electrical brain signals and translating them into movements on computers and robotic arms. One of the researchers, Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD hopes to “assist people with ALS, spinal cord injuries, and stroke to regain control over their environment.”

After suffering a stroke, Cathy Hutchinson was left quadriplegic and unable to speak or move. As a participant in a study done this past April, Cathy used her thoughts to control a robotic arm and sip her morning coffee all by herself for the first time in 15 years. To see Cathy in action, check out the below video!

"Turning Thoughts into Action," article on MGH's Website