Editing BrainGate (section)

==Technology==

[[Image:BrainGate.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|Dummy unit illustrating the design of a BrainGate interface]]
 
In its current form, BrainGate consists of a sensor implanted in the brain and an external decoder device, which connects to some kind of [[prosthetic]] or other external object.  The sensor is in the form of a [[microelectrode array]], formerly known as the Utah Array,  which consists of 100 hair-thin [[electrodes]] that sense the electromagnetic signature of [[neurons]] firing in specific areas of the brain, for example, the area that controls arm movement. The sensor translates that activity into electrically charged signals, which are then sent to an external device and decoded in software.  The decoder connects to and can use the brain signals to control an external device, such as a robotic arm, a computer cursor, or even a wheelchair. In essence, BrainGate allows a person to manipulate objects in the world using only the mind.
 
In addition to real-time analysis of neuron patterns to relay movement, the BrainGate array is also capable of recording electrical data for later analysis. A potential use of this feature would be for a [[neurologist]] to study seizure patterns in a patient with [[epilepsy]].