First person to operate a mind-controlled robotic hand

Matthew Nagle (1979–2007, USA) was paralysed from the neck down in a knife attack in 2001. On 22 June 2004 at New England Sinai Hospital, Massachusetts, USA, he underwent surgery to have a BrainGate experimental brain-computer interface attached to the surface of his motor cortex – the area of his brain that would normally control his left arm. The implant was attached to an external connector on his skull allowing it to be linked to a computer. After recovering from his surgery, Nagle began learning to use the BrainGate, which was able to translate his brain waves and allow him to move a cursor on a monitor as well as open and close a robotic hand.