Paraplegic man controls a virtual drone using only his mind.

A man who suffers from paralysis has managed to pilot a virtual drone solely with his mind, thanks to a brain-computer interface (BCI) that decoded his brain activity in real-time. This milestone, recently reported, is based on the neural signals associated with finger movements, thus allowing control of the virtual drone. Matthew Willsey, co-author of the study and a neurosurgeon at the University of Michigan, mentioned that many human activities, such as writing, sewing, or playing a musical instrument, require individual finger movements, and this is the focus of the research: enabling simultaneous control of various actions.

Willsey also indicated that the experiment could have been conducted with a real drone, but the virtual drone was chosen for greater ease and safety. The 69-year-old participant told researchers that controlling the virtual object was similar to playing a musical instrument, describing the experience as "small corrections up and down from a central line."

The BCI, installed by Blackrock Neurotech, was implanted in the part of the brain that regulates hand movement. To translate the neural signals captured by the BCI electrodes into the man's thoughts, an artificial intelligence model was used. The process involved the participant learning to imagine how his fingers moved in specific ways, generating electrical signals of varying intensities that allowed him to navigate an obstacle course with the virtual drone.

Willsey emphasized that for the man, this trial represented the realization of a dream he thought was lost after his injury. He had a passion for flying and seemed empowered, even asking researchers to record videos to share with his friends.

BCI technology has advanced significantly in recent years, with companies like Elon Musk's Neuralink developing devices that are in the testing phase on humans. Once these technologies are perfected, they could provide freedom and independence to people with paralysis, enabling them to communicate by translating their neural activity into text or voice just by thinking. They would also facilitate the use of computers, video games, wheelchairs, robotic prostheses, and even tasks like grasping objects or scratching one's face.

However, challenges remain, such as the surgical risks associated with the implantation of a BCI device. The user must maintain high levels of concentration, with current devices correctly recognizing mental commands only about 80% of the time; up to 30% of users are unable to get it to work at all. Additionally, the health and psychological implications of using this technology are not fully understood, including cognitive fatigue and prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields. These and other challenges highlight the need for ongoing research and development to improve BCI technology, address safety concerns, and establish appropriate regulatory frameworks.