Dancer with ALS uses brainwaves to perform again through avatar

A ballerina with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) says she was able to dance again after her brainwaves were used to power an avatar live on-stage in Amsterdam.

Breanna Olson, a mother of three, found out two and a half years ago she had ALS, the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND) and which, with no known cure, weakens muscles and over time affects speech, swallowing and breathing.

However, using sensors to measure the electrical activity transmitted from her brain, her motor signals could be converted into an digital avatar.

In an interview with BBC News, Breanna said it was "exhilarating" and "magical" to see herself, in virtual form, take to the stage again.

Breanna lives in Tacoma, Washington state, in the US and has trained in ballet, contemporary, and jazz dance since childhood.

MND affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, controlling muscle movement. As these weaken and stiffen over time it can affect walking, talking, eating and breathing.

"I never dreamed that I would be able to dance on stage again," she said.

"It was just a beautiful and memorable moment I will remember for the rest of my life."

The performance, held at the OBA Theatre in Amsterdam in December, was described at the time as the "first of its kind".

It saw Breanna use an electroencephalogram (or EEG) headset, developed by Japanese tech firm Dentsu Lab in collaboration with data company NTT, to capture her brain activity and specific motor signals associated with imagining certain dance movements.

A brainwave interface translating these signals into computer instructions then allowed her to convey which of these movements she wanted her mixed-reality avatar to dance in real-time.

It forms part of a wider landscape in which scientists are exploring technological solutions to help people with deterioration of physical or mental abilities enjoy their hobbies and participate in physical environments.

Noland Arbaugh, the first human to receive a brain chip implant by Elon Musk's Neuralink, previously told the BBC the device has allowed him to play games again.

Meanwhile 58-year-old Yvonne Johnson, who has MND, recently said AI voice tools had helped her to regain a part of her identity.

Breanna said after exploring solutions allowing her to determine the movements of a dancing avatar, she believes such technology "definitely has a place for those with disabilities".

Breanna told the BBC she got to know the "unique" but "quite challenging" technology during the project.

"You have to isolate your muscles and the noise around you... and really focus inward," she said.

But despite its challenges, Breanna said the experience had helped re-establish a sense of expression and connection eroded by her condition.

"This is a new way of expression," she said. "To be able to move in a new way and a different way is just freeing."

The project, called Waves of Will, is part of a wider initiative which aims to explore how innovation and technology can help restore personal expression, identity and participation for those living with motor-degenerative diseases such as ALS.

"There are many brainwave technologies and research all over the world, but most of them are very expensive and not accessible to everyone," Dentsu Lab chief creative officer Naoki Tanaka told the BBC.

"This is exactly why we started Waves of Will - to make a new brainwave interface."

Mariko Nakamura of NTT said she believed the tech could be developed for other devices like wheelchairs or remote controls.

Breanna also wants to leave her mark on the world, telling the BBC she wants to be able to help others with ALS and give them "hope".

Her experience, she said, has shown her just how powerful the mind can be.

"We can do more than we think we can," she said.

Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.