Breakthrough: Robotic limbs moved by the mind

Watch the Segment »

Web Extras

Scott Pelley: I mean, you do have a connection through the skull to the outside world?

Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara: Absolutely.

[Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara: May I have some irrigations]

During the six-hour surgery, two sensor arrays, each the size of a pea, were placed on the surface of Jan's brain. Then they were wired to two computer connections, called pedestals, the gateways to Jan's thoughts.

Scott Pelley: You know, people are going to look at those pedestals in your skull, and they're going to think, "That has to hurt." Is, is it painful? Has it been difficult in any way?

Jan Scheuermann: For a few hours after I woke up, I had the worst case of buyer's remorse. I was thinking, "Oh my God, I had brain surgery. Why didn't anyone stop me? Why didn't they say, "Jan, you're crazy." But as soon as the headache went away, that kind of talk went away too.

Five months after the surgery, we came back to see whether she would be able to control the robotic arm with nothing but her thoughts. They plugged her brain into the computer and this is what we saw.

Jan Scheuermann: I can move it up. And straight down. And left and right, and diagonally. I can close it. And open it. And I can go forward and back.

Scott Pelley: That is just the most astounding thing I've ever seen.

Scott Pelley: Can we shake hands?

Jan Scheuermann: Sure.

Scott Pelley: No, really?

Jan Scheuermann:: Yeah.

Scott Pelley: Like come right over here?

Jan Scheuermann: Yes, you come over there.

Scott Pelley: OK.

Jan Scheuermann: Let me grasp your hand there. There we go.

Scott Pelley: Oh my goodness.

Jan Scheuermann: Move it up and down a little.

Scott Pelley: Wow.

Jan Scheuermann: And I can do a fist bump if you'd like.

Scott Pelley: That's amazing.

Scott Pelley: What are you doing Jan? What's going on in your mind as you're moving this arm around? What are you thinking?

Jan Scheuermann: OK. The best way to explain it is, raise your arm. Now what did you think about when you did that?

Scott Pelley: Not much. I do it all the time.

Jan Scheuermann: Exactly. It's automatic.

Scott Pelley: Is that hard work? Are you having to concentrate?

Jan Scheuermann: It, no, it was hard work getting there. I struggled greatly to go up and down at the beginning. Now up and down is so easy I don't even think about it. Side to side, don't even think about it.