Every young geek at some point has longed for the ‘direct brain to computer’ interface. The Matrix movie series took the concept to science fantasy. Now super-heroes of science are connecting computers directly to the brain, and the brain… is typing. This short and approachable video presentation from Stanford University is equally scientifically fascinating and an inspiring message to those who need these interfaces to fully communicate.

Krishna Shenoy is creating “brain-computer interfaces” that will enable paralyzed patients to control prosthetic arms and computer cursors. In this short talk, Shenoy describes how his team of Stanford researchers has built a system that achieves typing at 15 words-per-minute, just by “thinking about it”.

Watch it on Academic Earth

I may have spoken too soon! It turns out science has created the Matrix-like fiber optic connection to control our brain.  That’s the ‘good’ news.  The bad news is they discovered our brain is wired for BlueRay.  This equally scientifically fascinating video, though by a slightly less interesting presenter, is well worth the fifteen minutes of your life to watch a genuinely brilliant presenter talk about the breakthroughs in how he and his colleagues are able to communicate directly to the brain using fiber optics and blue light.