Ben Choi, an 18-year-old from Virginia, has developed a new artificial arm that wearers can control with their minds. More than 30 million people around the world have missing limbs and could benefit from a prosthesis, or artificial body part. In the past decade, engineers have developed “mind-controlled” prostheses operated by sensors implanted in the brain. But these high-tech limbs are expensive and require brain surgery.
Choi found a simpler and cheaper solution. He measured users’ brain waves by placing metal electrodes on their heads. He then designed an algorithm, or set of instructions, to translate those brain waves into signals that moved a simple robotic arm. The algorithm uses artificial intelligence to learn and improve over time. Today Choi’s program can move an arm in less than a second with 95 percent accuracy.
Choi says that developing this new technology didn’t feel like work. “It was fun and motivating to know that my invention could improve people’s lives,” he says.