I moved a robotic hand using (basically) my mind

In the nether regions of the "NEXTech" area of Fira Gran Via, the enormous venue in Barcelona where Mobile World Congress is taking place, I've learned that graphene is important. 

Among the several startups and research projects that heavily rely on the use of graphene, a carbon allotrope that's thin, durable and conducts electricity well, the most interesting was Italian Institute of Technology's initiative Rehab Technologies, which showed me how graphene could be used to improve the life of people with disabilities. 

They showed me a robotic hand prototype which I controlled remotely by contracting and relaxing the muscles on my hand. All it took is two graphene-based electrodes strapped to my arm, which conduct the neurological signals sent from my brain to my muscles.  Read more...