Paralysed woman's thoughts work robotic arm

Using only her thoughts, a woman paralysed for 15 years has directed a robotic arm with her thoughts to pick up a bottle of coffee and bring it to her lips, researchers report in the latest advance in harnessing brain waves to help disabled people.

In the past year, similar stories have included a quadriplegic man in Pennsylvania who made a robotic arm give a high-five and stroke his girlfriend's hand, and a partially paralysed man who remotely controlled a small robot that scooted around in a Swiss lab.

It's startling stuff. But will the experimental brain