Latest news with #ALS
Fox News
9 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
Brain implant enables ALS patient to communicate using AI
Imagine losing your ability to speak or move, yet still having so much to say. For Brad G. Smith, this became his reality after being diagnosed with ALS, a rare and progressive disease that attacks the nerves controlling voluntary muscle movement. But thanks to a groundbreaking Neuralink brain implant, Smith is now able to communicate with the world using only his thoughts. Before receiving the Neuralink implant, Smith relied on eye-tracking technology to communicate. While impressive, it came with major limitations. "It is a miracle of technology, but it is frustrating. It works best in dark rooms, so I was basically Batman. I was stuck in a dark room," Smith shared in a recent post on X. Bright environments would disrupt the system, making communication slow and sometimes impossible. Now, Smith says, "Neuralink lets me go outside and ignore lighting changes." Smith is the first non-verbal person and only the third individual worldwide to receive the Neuralink Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). The device, about as thick as five stacked coins, sits in his skull and connects to the motor cortex-the part of the brain that controls movement. Tiny wires, thinner than human hair, extend into Smith's brain. These pick up signals from his neurons and transmit them wirelessly to his MacBook Pro. The computer then decodes these signals, allowing Smith to move a cursor on the screen with his thoughts alone. As Smith explains, "The Neuralink implant embedded in my brain contains 1024 electrodes that capture neuron firings every 15 milliseconds generating a vast amount of data. Artificial intelligence processes this data on a connected MacBook Pro to decode my intended movements in real time to move the cursor on my screen. Neuralink does not read my deepest thoughts or words I think about. It just reads how I wanna move and moves the cursor where I want." Learning to use the system took some trial and error. At first, the team tried mapping Smith's hand movements to the cursor, but it didn't work well. After more research, they discovered that signals related to his tongue were the most effective for cursor movement, and clenching his jaw worked best for clicking. "I am not actively thinking about my tongue, just like you don't think about your wrist when you move a mouse. I have done a lot of cursor movements in my life. I think my brain has switched over to subconscious control quickly so I just think about moving the cursor," Smith said. The Neuralink implant has given Smith new ways to interact with his family and the world. He can now play games like Mario Kart with his children and communicate more quickly than before. The system includes a virtual keyboard and shortcuts for common actions, making tasks like copying, pasting and navigating web pages much easier. Smith also worked with Neuralink engineers to develop a "parking spot" feature for the cursor. "Sometimes you just wanna park the cursor and watch a video. When it is in the parking spot, I can watch a show or take a nap without worrying about the cursor," he explained. To speed up communication even more, Smith uses Grok, Elon Musk's AI chatbot. Grok helps him write responses and even suggests witty replies. "We have created a chat app that uses AI to listen to the conversation and gives me options to say in response. It uses Grok 3 and an AI clone of my old voice to generate options for me to say. It is not perfect, but it keeps me in the conversation and it comes up with some great ideas," Smith shared. One example? When a friend needed a gift idea for his girlfriend who loves horses, the AI suggested a bouquet of carrots. Smith's journey has been shaped by more than just technology. He credits his wife, Tiffany, as his "best caregiver I could ever imagine," and recognizes the support of his kids, friends and family. Despite the challenges of ALS, Smith finds meaning and hope in his faith. "I have not always understood why God afflicted me with ALS but with time I am learning to trust his plan for me. I'm a better man because of ALS. I'm a better disciple of Jesus Christ because of ALS. I'm closer to my amazing wife, literally and figuratively, because of ALS," he said. Neuralink's technology is still in its early stages, but Smith's experience is already making waves. The company recently received a "breakthrough" designation from the Food and Drug Administration for its brain implant device, which hopes to help people with severe speech impairments caused by ALS, stroke, spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions. Neuro-ethicists are watching closely, as the merging of brain implants and AI raises important questions about privacy, autonomy and the future of human communication. Smith's story is about resilience, creativity and the power of technology to restore something as fundamental as the ability to communicate. As Smith puts it, "Neuralink is giving me freedom, hope and faster communication. Overall, the whole Neuralink experience has been fantastic. It has improved my life so much. I'm so happy to be involved in something big that will help many people." While ALS "really sucks," as Smith says, his journey shows how innovation and determination can bring light to even the darkest rooms. And perhaps most importantly, it reminds us that behind every breakthrough, there are real people, real families and real stories of hope. If you or a family member lost the ability to speak or move, would you consider a brain implant that lets you communicate with your thoughts? Let us know by writing to us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Free Malaysia Today
19 hours ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Defunding Harvard hurts America
Last week, I was among hundreds of researchers at Harvard University who received termination notices for our federal research grants. Mine was for a project to study electrical signalling between neurons in the brain. My lab's research has led to progress in treatments for pain, epilepsy, and ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). We have been working to map the physiological basis of memory, enabling new ways to study Alzheimer's disease. All of our work is available for the public to see. I am a long-time member of the Harvard community (18 years on the faculty, plus four years as an undergraduate), and I am visibly and proudly Jewish. The government's decision to withhold federal funding in the name of combating antisemitism is wrong, bad for Jews everywhere, and terrible for the US. Yes, antisemitism on campus is real and must be confronted. Harvard's recent report on the matter documents harrowing incidents of bias and harassment. But in my 22 years here, I have never personally encountered antisemitism. From many conversations with Jewish students and colleagues, I am confident that Harvard is and has been a welcoming and supportive home for the vast majority. The problem of antisemitism is serious but not systemic. A proportionate and effective response requires local knowledge and nuanced leadership, exactly the sort that Harvard's president, Alan Garber, provides. His Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias, and the parallel Presidential Task Force on Combating Anti-Muslim, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Palestinian Bias, studied these problems extensively and provided strong recommendations that strike a thoughtful balance between the sometimes-competing demands of free speech and protections against harassment. Some are already being implemented. By contrast, US president Donald Trump's administration is seeking to destroy Harvard, and its assertion that it is doing so to combat antisemitism effectively pins the blame for the wreckage on the Jews. Whatever the administration's intent, the effect is indistinguishable from genuine antisemitism. The intent, apparently, is to turn antisemitism into a political weapon, associating it solely with the left and portraying the right as protectors of Jewish students, and hence America's Jews. The government's charges of antisemitism at Harvard and other universities have been supplemented with a litany of other accusations: that students are indoctrinated with leftist ideology; that academic standards have slipped; that Harvard's faculty and students are living fat off taxpayer dollars. Trump claimed: 'Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning.' I invite any Trump administration official who thinks our academic standards have declined to sit for an exam in my class. If you can explain the quantum principles underlying the structure of the Periodic Table (like my 18-year-old freshmen can), then you can lecture me on academic standards. The notes for my graduate biophysics class are online. I challenge any reader to guess my political leanings from these notes (be careful, you might learn some physics while searching). My classes are the norm, not the exception. Trump supporters argue that, given its US$53.2 billion endowment, Harvard doesn't need federal money. But the opposite is true. The endowment has been subsidising research costs by supporting graduate students, financing core facilities, and providing funds to help new researchers get started. This support provides additional leverage for taxpayer investments in science. Every dollar of my grants is scrutinised. There is no fat. Overhead charges to federal grants pay for compliance with federal regulations, safety standards, and lab infrastructure. The Republican Party that Trump leads has long championed local control, limited government, and the free market – especially when it comes to education. For decades, US conservatives have fought for school choice, opposed federal overreach, and insisted that parents, teachers, and local communities – not federal bureaucrats – know best how to educate their children. These values should apply just as much to higher education as they do to primary and secondary schools. Yet today, some of the same voices calling for decentralisation are applauding a heavy-handed federal effort to punish a private university, to dictate who gets to study and teach there, and to interfere in research funding decisions that have traditionally been merit-based and apolitical. The federal government has no more business telling Harvard who it can admit or hire, or what its faculty can teach, than it does setting the curriculum at my kids' public school. Students come to Harvard to learn; if we don't deliver, they will go elsewhere. If Harvard faculty don't produce valuable research, they will lose grants. The academic marketplace is self-correcting, and it is fiercely competitive. When the government steps in to micromanage that system to score political points, it undermines the principles conservatives have defended for generations. In the short term, the people most affected by the Trump administration's funding cuts are not tenured professors, but rather early-career scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, very few of whom have any connection to campus activism. In the long term, the US itself will be worse off, both because of the discoveries that don't happen and because global leadership in science and technology will be ceded to China and other countries. The US needs more research funding, not less. On May 15, researchers announced a breakthrough treatment for a baby who had an otherwise-fatal genetic condition – an advance based on discoveries first made at Harvard. Other Harvard researchers are working on advanced battery technologies, and mobility aids for stroke survivors and injured soldiers. Federal investment in science – at Harvard and other US universities – is an investment in a healthier, wealthier, and more secure future for Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs. Cutting it off is a wanton act of self-sabotage. Adam Ezra Cohen is professor of chemistry and physics at Harvard University. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
The ALS Association Teams Up with MLB Pitcher Aaron Nola to #StrikeOutALS and Recognize 5th Annual Lou Gehrig Day
Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Continues Support of Fight Against ALS in Honor of Late Uncle ARLINGTON, Va., May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The ALS Association is recognizing the 5th annual Lou Gehrig Day, taking place June 2nd at baseball parks across the country. Lou Gehrig Day honors the legacy of the legendary first baseman, who was diagnosed with ALS at the height of his playing career. He died on June 2, 1941, just two years after his diagnosis. Sadly, ALS is still 100% fatal and can strike anyone at any time. As part of the nationwide effort, the ALS Association will be partnering with baseball teams across the country to host events commemorating Lou Gehrig Day. These events may include pre-game ceremonies, special on-field presentations, guest speakers and fundraising initiatives. "Lou Gehrig Day is an important opportunity to remind baseball fans around the country about the urgent need for a cure for ALS," said Brian Frederick, chief marketing and communications officer for the ALS Association. "Lou was an incredible player who inspired millions but could not beat this fatal disease. With the public's help, we can turn ALS from fatal to livable and then cure it. We have an amazing community of people living with ALS and their loved ones and they need our support." For the second consecutive season, the ALS Association is teaming up with Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola to raise awareness of ALS and support research and care through the the Big League Impact campaign. Nola is donating $1,500 for every strikeout he records to the ALS Association, a $500 increase from last season's $1,000 per strikeout commitment. The cause remains deeply personal to him after losing his uncle, Alan Andries, to ALS in 2021. In recognition of his ongoing advocacy, Nola was recently named a 2025 Philanthropy Award Winner by the Major League Baseball Players Trust, which awarded a $10,000 grant in his honor to the ALS Association. Nola was recognized for his dedication to ALS research and his charitable efforts supporting veterans. "We are grateful to Aaron and everyone in baseball who supports the fight against ALS," said Larry Falivena, a person living with ALS who serves on the ALS Association Board of Trustees. "We may support different teams on the field, but off the field, we are all dedicated to making ALS livable and then curing it. We have made great strides in ALS research and care since Lou Gehrig was diagnosed and we have to keep the momentum going." The ALS Association encourages fans, players, and organizations to join the fight against ALS by finding a Lou Gehrig Day game in their community by visiting or by joining Aaron and his campaign to Strike Out ALS at Together, we can honor Lou Gehrig's legacy, cheer for our beloved teams and make ALS History. About ALS ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are more likely to develop ALS than the general population. About the ALS Association The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research in the world. The Association funds global research collaborations, assists people with ALS and their families through its nationwide network of care and certified clinical care centers, and advocates for better public policies for people with ALS. The ALS Association is working to make ALS a livable disease while urgently searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about the ALS Association, visit our website at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The ALS Association Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen.
Associated Press
a day ago
- General
- Associated Press
The ALS Association Teams Up with MLB Pitcher Aaron Nola to #StrikeOutALS and Recognize 5th Annual Lou Gehrig Day
Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Continues Support of Fight Against ALS in Honor of Late Uncle ARLINGTON, Va., May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The ALS Association is recognizing the 5th annual Lou Gehrig Day, taking place June 2nd at baseball parks across the country. Lou Gehrig Day honors the legacy of the legendary first baseman, who was diagnosed with ALS at the height of his playing career. He died on June 2, 1941, just two years after his diagnosis. Sadly, ALS is still 100% fatal and can strike anyone at any time. As part of the nationwide effort, the ALS Association will be partnering with baseball teams across the country to host events commemorating Lou Gehrig Day. These events may include pre-game ceremonies, special on-field presentations, guest speakers and fundraising initiatives. 'Lou Gehrig Day is an important opportunity to remind baseball fans around the country about the urgent need for a cure for ALS,' said Brian Frederick, chief marketing and communications officer for the ALS Association. 'Lou was an incredible player who inspired millions but could not beat this fatal disease. With the public's help, we can turn ALS from fatal to livable and then cure it. We have an amazing community of people living with ALS and their loved ones and they need our support.' For the second consecutive season, the ALS Association is teaming up with Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola to raise awareness of ALS and support research and care through the the Big League Impact campaign. Nola is donating $1,500 for every strikeout he records to the ALS Association, a $500 increase from last season's $1,000 per strikeout commitment. The cause remains deeply personal to him after losing his uncle, Alan Andries, to ALS in 2021. In recognition of his ongoing advocacy, Nola was recently named a 2025 Philanthropy Award Winner by the Major League Baseball Players Trust, which awarded a $10,000 grant in his honor to the ALS Association. Nola was recognized for his dedication to ALS research and his charitable efforts supporting veterans. 'We are grateful to Aaron and everyone in baseball who supports the fight against ALS,' said Larry Falivena, a person living with ALS who serves on the ALS Association Board of Trustees. 'We may support different teams on the field, but off the field, we are all dedicated to making ALS livable and then curing it. We have made great strides in ALS research and care since Lou Gehrig was diagnosed and we have to keep the momentum going.' The ALS Association encourages fans, players, and organizations to join the fight against ALS by finding a Lou Gehrig Day game in their community by visiting or by joining Aaron and his campaign to Strike Out ALS Together, we can honor Lou Gehrig's legacy, cheer for our beloved teams and make ALS History. About ALS ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are more likely to develop ALS than the general population. About the ALS Association The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research in the world. The Association funds global research collaborations, assists people with ALS and their families through its nationwide network of care and certified clinical care centers, and advocates for better public policies for people with ALS. The ALS Association is working to make ALS a livable disease while urgently searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about the ALS Association, visit our website at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The ALS Association
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Roanoke man living with ALS is on a mission to help others
ROANOKE, VA (WFXR) — A Roanoke man living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is working to spread awareness and understanding about the disease, and make it livable for everyone until a cure can be found. 'I don't think you can ever be ready for a medical change that totally alters your trajectory in life,' said Mark Kary, who is living with ALS. ALS is a neurotmesuclar disease where the brain stops communicating with the muscles. For some, a person might lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, breathe, and it can sometimes be fatal. 'If I want to go into my emails, I can scroll down with my nose,' shared Kary. Mark Kary is 75 years old and is living with ALS. He said that right around the time of his retirement, he started to notice some weakness in his left arm. 'My brother, who was a doctor, found it, and that was about 12 years ago, which is a real anomaly time-wise. And I wasn't diagnosed until about five years ago,' said Kary. Mark's version of ALS is extremely rare. 'Only affected thus far my arms, hands, and shoulders, which have atrophied or, as I like to say, my arms are for decoration only,' shared Kary. Even with the diagnosis, the disease hasn't taken away his appetite for life. Every day the sun comes up is a beautiful day. One of the things I say is, how I get things done is with the hands of others.' Mark Kary His arms, hands, and shoulders might not work as well as they used to, but that doesn't stop him; he said he just had to adapt. 'Think about personal hygiene, anything you can do with your hands. I can't do,' shared Kary. 'I can still brush my teeth with an electric toothbrush, but that does take, you know, a four-step process.' I think you have to have a mission in life, no matter how brief.' Mark Kary 'For most people who have ALS, they don't have the timeframe that I have been blessed with,' shared Kary. And with the time Mark does have, he has created the ALS Red Ball Express. It's a visual and digital aid that you may have spotted on the back of cars. 'I want people to walk over and point their phone at it and get a connection to information,' said Kary. Whether it's connecting people with information or raising funds for the ALS Association, Mark is on a mission to ensure there is a visual representation of ALS on the roads in Roanoke every day of the year. Mark's story doesn't end, He's also been busy advocting for disabled people with adaptive access in Roanoke. A few years ago, he spoke with the City Manager, and helped put in place the Star City's first 'open access barrier-free parking' in downtown. Those are parking spaces specially set aside for disabled drivers, so they can park in timed spaces, for up to 10 hours. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
