BrainGate's First Test Subject Dies at 27

I hadn't heard any big news lately on BrainGate, which is a type of neural interface system mentioned several times here previously. That is until a few days ago when I saw that someone had come to this site with the Google search term "Matt Nagle cause of death". Then I followed that same path and found an obituary from the Boston Globe, stating that he had died on July 16 from sepsis. There are no other details relating to the cause of death. The article does mention that the brain implant had previously been removed, from that statement I only assume that his death was not related to that particular experiment, but more likely to one or some of the many comorbidities of quadriplegia. It appears that his death is now being investigated as a homicide.

I give my condolences and best wishes to his family and friends.

Webiocosm Pet Link Round Up

Mimivirus
One of my favorite subjects to follow lately has been the Mimivirus. Now the March editon of Discover Magazine has a good article on the mimivirus. The article begins with the following question on the cover: Are viruses the mother of all life? Then, in the process of answering the question (which appears to be YES), the article itself gives a rundown of the history of viruses, the mimivirus, and some of the people who have been working on it. The final paragraph ties it together by stating that "we owe our existence to viruses" and that "As it turns out, they are not the little breakaway shards of our biology—we are, of theirs."
Here are a few links to some of the recent buzz:

Nobel Intent talks directly about the Discover article.

Neil Struthers of Through the Megatonne Marble contemplates what he would do with his genome if he were the unintelligent designer.

Wheat-Dogg proclaims that Yo Mama was a Virus!

As usual, Keats' Telescope has some good insight and links.

My previous posts are here, here, and here.

Braingate / Neural Interface System

CNN-Brain Chip Research Aims for Future Movement 03/02/06

News 14 Carolina Tech Talk - Implant might help paralyzed people 02/07/06

My previous posts are here, and here.

BrainGate Update #2-Recruiting for Clinical Trials

Cyberkinetics-Neurotechnology Systems Inc. is now recruiting subjects for clinical trials for the BrainGate Neural Interface System for individuals with severe motor impairments from spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy or stroke. Subjects have to live within a 2 hour drive of a study center which are located in Boston, Chicago, and Providence. Here is a link to their website for more info.
Here and here are places where I've previously mentioned this with further links.
Also here is a brief educational video about the project.

Mind Control- More on the BrainGate Neural Interface System

I know I must seem fixated on this one subject but this really is worth following. From Wired Magazine, this is an article on the more personal side of the BrainGate Neural Interface System and the current trial's sole human subject Matt Nagle. For more links see the brief story here.

BrainGate Neural Interface System

Here is a link to a brief story from Reader's digest. This is going to be Huge!

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