Paralyzed ALS Patient Speaks !

  From researchers in the Netherlands, a patient with ALS ( Lou Gehrig's disease ) operated a speech generating computer by moving her fingers in her mind ! Her thoughts changed a brain signal from small electrodes placed through her skull and into brain that were then sent to a transmitter implanted under the collarbone that amplified and transmitted the signals. The signal change was converted to a mouse click over an alphabet on a screen. Letter by letter the patient was able to compose words that were spoken by the computer.
  In ALS, a progressive degenerative motor neuron disease, patient's motor nerves die over time causing loss of motor function impairing not only movement but speech, swallowing and breathing. All while being fully aware.
  This technology, although in its infancy, has obvious application to others with stroke and speech arrest but also to the paralyzed as per my last report.
NEJM. 2016 Nov 12