Braindance

New Scientist Do the brainwave boogie-woogie - Features

Hinterberger straps electroencephalograph (EEG) electrodes to their heads to read the jumble of electric signals produced by their brain activity. The signals are then filtered and processed by a computer to isolate low-frequency brainwaves. Hinterberger has developed software that converts these brainwaves into a visual representation such as a movable cursor on a computer screen, so that patients can use this visual feedback to learn to control their brain waves and move the cursor. A few have learned to surf the web in this way.