Man manages to control Amazon's Alexa with help of his thoughts. Here's how
Representational image of Amazon Alexa.
A 64-year-old man, who was suffering from degenerative disease, was able to direct Amazon's Alexa digital assistant with his thoughts, announced the company which was behind the technological innovation on Monday (September 16).
The technology helped the man control devices and stream shows with just his thoughts.
Brain-computer interface company Synchron stated that the implant was made in the blood vessel of the brain of the man with the help of which he was able to mentally "tap" icons on an Amazon Fire tablet.
Also Read:Elon Musk's Neuralink successfully implants brain chip in second patient
The man, who has been surviving with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), made video calls, played music, streamed shows, controlled smart home devices like lights, read books and shopped online as his mind directed Alexa, stated the New York-based company.
ALS is a kind of degenerative nerve disease in which one suffers from paralysis and there is weakness in the muscle.
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Here's how the man reacted after managing Alexa with thoughts
"To be able to manage important aspects of my environment and control access to entertainment gives me back the independence that I'm losing," said the patient, named Mark, in the press release.
The test was carried out to show how customers just with their minds can control smart homes which have Alexa-compatible devices like door cameras, plugs, and thermostats, as per the company.
"While many smart home systems rely on voice or touch, we are sending control signals directly from the brain," said Synchron founder and chief executive Tom Oxley, in the press release.
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"Patients can interact with devices in their home hands and voice-free, using only their thoughts," he added.
Various companies, which include Elon Musk's Neuralink, have been working to connect brains with computers.
In January, Neuralink implantedin a paralysed man's brain and it was seen as a success.
(With inputs from agencies)