Topic analysis

Dancer with MND performs on stage again through digital avatar

Breanna Olson, a US ballerina with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)—a common form of motor neurone disease (MND)—regained the ability to perform on stage in Amsterdam using a digital avatar controlled by her brainwaves. Developed by Japanese tech firm Dentsu Lab in collaboration with NTT as part of the Waves of Will project, the EEG headset captures her imagined dance movements to drive real-time avatar motions, with the initiative aiming to create accessible brainwave interfaces for others with motor-degenerative conditions.