Free Make Me Yours: A BWWM Billionaire Love Story by Cher Etan, BWWM Club Page A

patterns of a robot in Japan. In 2011,
they got a monkey to move a virtual arm and feel sensations from
it! Can you imagine? The possibilities?” Meaghan enthused.
    “ And
that’s what you were learning about today?” Dean asked
watching her face with affection.
    “ Yes,”
Meaghan replied beaming at him.
    “ So
how does it work exactly?” Dean asked.
    Meaghan explained to
Dean that one technique that was used was to harness brain signals;
known as functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The technique would
involve shining a light into the brain to discern how much activity
there is, and examining the corresponding oxygen level. Then light at
a specific wavelength is beamed into the brain, and the oxygen
present absorbs some of that light. This allows scientists to pick up
on small differences in the blood's oxygenation. She gave the example
of the Brocca’s area which is a part of the brain that is
crucial for language and is activated when a person talks inside
their head or counts silently. The researchers had used oxygen levels
linked to this to create a system that allowed the person to say yes
or no just by thinking ‘no’.
    “ So
is all this technology available here?” Dean asked infected by
her enthusiasm.
    “ The
original hardware for a device that utilizes this technique was
developed by Hitachi, and it allows a person with locked-in syndrome
to say "yes" or "no," Meaghan replied. “But
that’s not all; the same people also developed technology that
can help restore movement in people who have paralysis or partial
paralysis in a limb. So your dad could be trained to use robotics to
move his arm and maybe even his leg.”
    “ It
all seems too good to be true,” Dean said in bemusement, a
small smile appearing and disappearing on his lips like he was
unaware of it.
    “ Yeah
I know it is. But researchers really are looking at a rehabilitation
robot called an exoskeleton, which is a device that a person sits in
to be able to move limbs that they wouldn't otherwise. The robot can
detect the brain signal corresponding to a person thinking about
moving an arm, and then move the arm,” Meaghan said.
    “ There
is also a wheelchair that a person can drive by using brain signals,
rather than moving a joystick or pressing buttons. Your dad would
need to wear an EEG cap to measure brain signals, but setting one up
is very complicated,” Meaghan continued.
    “ Complicated
but possible?” Dean asked hopefully.
    “ For
you? I’m pretty sure it would be. Would you like me to make
some inquiries for you?” she asked turning to face him as they
came to the state of the art lab.
    “ I
would be grateful beyond words,” Dean said.
    “ Consider
it done then,” Meaghan replied.
    Dean swooped down
and kissed her thoroughly, uncaring of the people bustling around
them in the corridor. Meaghan stiffened slightly but then let him
have his way with her mouth. It was some big news.
    “ Thank
you,” he said softly as he let her lips go at last.
    “ Don’t
thank me just yet. We’ve yet to get answers.”
    “ That’s
not why I’m thanking you,” Dean said watching her with
soft eyes and an affectionate smile.
    “ Oh?
Why then?”
    “ Because
you cared enough about a man you don’t know to find out all
this stuff that might improve his quality of life; just because he’s
my father.”
    Meaghan gave him a
twisted smile. “S’no big deal,” she said quietly.
    “ Oh
trust me Meaghan, to me, it is.”
    *****
    “ I
have some news for you,” Meaghan said calling Dean early in the
morning as she left for work.
    “ Good
morning to you too. And how did you sleep last night?” Dean
replied.
    “ Great,
now you wanna hear my news or not?”
    “ Wanna,”
Dean said.
    “ I
got you an appointment to talk with some people about that technology
we discussed the other day. They would be interested to work with you
on this; kind of see how well the technology does ‘in the wild’
as they say.”
    “ Really?
That