ManChine: BCIs enable locked-in and paralyzed

There have been many technological and biological advances in my lifetime that have enabled individuals to do more or regain what they had unfortunately once lost. Until the past few years, though, tapping into the human brain in a practical manner was relegated to science fiction, Saturday morning cartoons, and of course The Matrix - damn you Keanu! Similar to the way we have been able isolate electrical signals from muscles to incorporate foreign mechanical parts into our physical make-up, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) such as that developed by the Wadsworth Center in NY have recently been making some serious headway.   

Today, only a few privileged individuals have had the opportunity to use a BCI to regain at least some of their independence and identity. While this advance is a critical to victims of paralysis to better function in society, it is a Godsend for subjects of rare yet devastating conditions such as locked-in syndrome. Although it scares me to some degree that man and machine are already beginning to become intertwined at a cerebral level, I am enthused to learn how this will impact us as a race and as individuals.