Computer deciphers brain signals of imagined writing

This is an Inside Science story. A man paralyzed below the neck can imagine writing by hand and, with the help of artificial intelligence software, use electronics hooked up to his brain to translate his mental handwriting into words at speeds comparable to typing on a smartphone, a new study finds. By helping convert thoughts into actions, brain-computer interfaces can help people move or speak. Recently, scientists have sought to help people with disabilities communicate by using these mind-machine interfaces to move a cursor on a screen to point and click on letters on a keyboard. The previous speed record for typing with such devices was about 40 characters per minute.