Electronic skin and scientists who connected the human brain to a computer

The researchers from the University of Melbourne connected a computer to the human brain via blood vessels. They inserted electrodes through the jugular vein in the neck and then to the brain’s primary motor cortex. The electrodes detected brain signals and fed them to a computer. The new method was proven to work on two people with the degenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “Used in combination with an eye-tracker for cursor navigation, participants achieved Windows 10 operating system control to conduct instrumental activities of daily living tasks,” as it was stated in the study.

Self-healing “electronic skin” may replace wearable devices, like smartwatches. Thin and flexible, it is recyclable and only slightly thicker than a plaster. It may track heartbeats or steps and can be worn on any body part. According to scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder, it can be stretched by 60 percent and still function well.

The Walt Disney Company created a skinless robot that can mimic human motion, especially blinking or subtle head movements. The company developed a robot to make its animatronics more realistic, creating the “illusion of life” at Disney’s parks. The machine follows the principles which animators use to make cartoon characters.