Ask people living with chronic paralysis what they would open their skull for, and the answer is not the thing the neurotechnology industry keeps demonstrating on stage.
In a survey of 71 adults with chronic stroke or spinal cord injury, 98% said they would be very or moderately likely to accept surgical implantation of a brain-computer interface if it could restore control of urination and defecation. Ninety percent said the same for the ability to feel a full bladder. Walking at various speeds with the ability to turn drew 92%. Basic hand grasp and release, the function most often showcased in laboratory demonstrations, drew 70%, the lowest figure in the survey.
