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A '''brain-computer interface''' (BCI) or '''direct neural interface''' is literally a direct technological interface between a [[brain]] and a [[computer]] not requiring any motor output from the user. That is, neural impulses in the brain are intercepted and used to control an electronic device. This is a rather broad, ill-defined term used to describe many versions of conventional and theoretical interfaces. For purposes of this term, the word 'brain' is understood to imply the physical brain of an [[organism|organic life form]] and 'computer' is understood to imply a mechanical/technological processing/computational device. These semantic notations are crucial in the contemplation of a direct brain-computer interface, as there is great debate in the [[philosophy of mind]] regarding the reduction of [[consciousness]] and [[mind]] to the physical qualities of the brain.
==BCI
[[Image:BCI.jpg|thumb|right|Example of a BCI]]
Many versions of brain-computer interfaces already exist, with a great deal of [[neuroscience]], [[robotics]], and [[computer science]] research currently dedicated to furthering these technologies. [[Brain imaging#Practical achievements of functional brain imaging|Recent achievements]] demonstrate that it is currently possible to implement crude brain-computer interfaces ([[brain dish]]es) that allow <i>[[in vitro]]</i> neuronal clusters to directly control computers. [[Miguel Nicolelis]] has also used the [[vector sum]] of [[motor cortex|motor cortical neuron]] spiking - recorded directly from the [[cortex]] of monkeys - as a BCI. This design allowed a monkey to navigate a computer cursor on screen simply by thinking about moving the cursor, without any motor output from the monkey.
==Human BCI
There have also been experiments in humans utilizing modern invasive and [[non-invasive (medical)|non-invasive]] [[brain imaging]] technologies as interfaces. The most commonly studied potential interface for humans has been [[electroencephalography]] (EEG), mainly due to its fine temporal resolution, ease of use, portability, and cost of set-up. However practical use of EEG as a BCI requires a great deal of user training and is highly susceptible to noise. [[Magnetoencephalography]] (MEG) and even [[functional magnetic resonance imaging]] (fMRI) have both been used successfully as rudimentary BCIs, in the latter case allowing two users being scanned in real-time to play [[Pong]] against one another by altering their [[haemodynamic response]] through various [[biofeedback]] techniques.
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