Computer chips that can read our brains are becoming sophisticated, moving from sci-fi to reality. With just a small device, known as a brain-computer interface (BCI), implanted into the brain cortex, people with disabilities can now type, control a robotic arm, and even drive, simply by using their thoughts.

At the core, machine learning is accelerating BCI's ability to read and analyse brain electric signals in order to decode intentions with greater accuracy. This momentum is opening up possibilities for people with disabilities to acquire greater functional independence.  

Currently, the implantation of BCI to treat patients is only approved on a case-by-case basis. To date, only an estimated 35 people have a BCI implanted long-term in their brains.

All this is fast changing as commercial interest in BCIs increases. Synchron, for instance, obtained approval to run the first-ever BCI human clinical trial to prove the safety of its devices. This will pave the way to secure approval for wider and long-term use of its products in patients with brain-related injuries and illnesses. Its close rival, Elon Musk's Neuralink, is raring to do the same.

Technologists envision a future world where anyone, not just people with disabilities, can receive implants to augment human ability and intelligence. The bigger question lies in the health risks and ethics of such a development. What happens to the data harvested, and who will have access to it? How will they be stored and can they be tempered with? Will there be a loss of cognitive freedom in time to come? These are questions that will need answers.