Mind control has gone from science fiction to science fact thanks to a remote-controlled brain implant that can control the path taken by mice, as footage released Tuesday by neuroscientists shows.
The implant, which is narrower than a human hair, alters the neural networks of the mice using wireless signals, allowing researchers to study neural stimulation without invasive procedures.
The “optofluidic” implant was developed by a team from the Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Illinois with the hope that it could one day be used to treat a range of neurological disorders in humans by targeting therapies to the patients’ specific neural networks.