Bruin and Computer Since the
1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers.
Brain-computer interface(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 prevent 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 simple
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