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Brain-machine interface (BMI) research has largely focused
on the problem of restoring lost motor function in individuals. However, a more
compelling aim of such research is the development of a truly
"intelligent" BMI that can transcend original motor function by
considering the higher-level goal of the motor activity and reformulating the
motor plan accordingly. This would allow, for example, a task to be performed
faster than is possible by natural movement, or more safely or efficiently than
originally conceived. Since a typical motor activity consists of a sequence of
planned movements, such a BMI must be capable of analyzing the complete
sequence before action. As such, its feasibility hinges fundamentally on
whether all elements of the motor plan can be decoded concurrently from working
memory.