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Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain-computer intece(BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.
Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic school in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated (展示)a small robotic wheelchair 1 by a person’s thoughts.
In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by 2 about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.
"Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals 3 the spinal cord(脊髓) to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can pr these weak electrical 4 from reaching the muscles, " Tavella says. "Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices".
The researchers designed a special cap for the 5 . This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp(头皮)and sends them to a computer. The computer 6 the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer 7 to commands from the brain.
Prof. Millan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them 8 commands. "The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can he grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair. "
He says his team has set two 9 . One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to 10 that they can use the technology over long periods of time.
A. thinking B. react C. goals
D. directed E. guarantee F. user
G. into H. purpose I. through
J. interprets K. signals L. professional Bruin and Computer