ABSTRACT
We perceive thoughts as powerful forces. It is often said, “They won by sheer force of will.” We think of movement and our body performs accordingly. Why then can we not simply think of bending a spoon and have it bend? Myths, legends, and science fiction are full of thought as a power able to move objects and submit the physical world to our will. It is possible that the brain-computer interface (BCI) has origins in this type of thinking. More likely, it is the logical extension of an electrical organ to control electrical devices. We know the brain’s electrical activities are capable of pattern changes that can be conditioned. A simple example is alpha wave activity with meditation. The key problem is and remains the interface. Neural signals need to be accurately detected and translated into useful command signals to effect control over computers or prostheses. The question is no longer can these changes be used even in a damaged or degenerative brain to provide a basis for brain-computer interface as this is now established in principle [19, 26, 27, 44].
