Paralyzed Man Creates First Social Media Post Just By Thinking It Into Reality

A 62-year-old Australian, who is paralyzed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), shared his first social media post “using only direct thought.” 

“I created this tweet just by thinking it,” shared Philip O’Keefe. The tweet was posted to the account of Thomas Oxley, who helms the company facilitating the incredible feat, Synchron. 

The firm said the first “direct-thought tweet” in history was created wirelessly from O’Keefe’s brain. The man had a computer interface implanted in his brain last year via the jugular vein, which is “designed to enable patients to wirelessly control digital devices through thought.” 

“Now, I just think about where on the computer I want to click, and I can email, bank, shop, and now message the world via Twitter,” O’Keefe said, as per RT. 

He said that while learning to use the “astonishing” system took hours of practice, “once you’re rolling, it becomes natural.” 

Following this world first, Synchron plans to further develop its brain-computer interface by putting it to the test in an in-human study next year.

no need for keystrokes or voices. I created this tweet just by thinking it. #helloworldbci

— Thomas Oxley (@tomoxl) December 23, 2021

[via RT, cover image via Sarayut Thaneerat | Dreamstime.com]