Patent ID: 7187967

Claim:
An apparatus for interfacing neural signals emanating from inside a brain within a cranium, having a thickness, that is covered by a scalp with an external device, comprising: a. a first conductive skull screw, capable of being implanted in the cranium and under the scalp, having a constant outside diameter and having a predefined length that corresponds to the thickness of the cranium, but less than a length that would cause the first conductive skull screw to invade the brain when implanted into the cranium, the first conductive skull screw not including a head having a diameter wider than the constant outside diameter; b. a second conductive skull screw, capable of being implanted in the cranium and under the scalp, having a constant outside diameter and having a predefined length that corresponds to the thickness of the cranium, but less than a length that would cause the second conductive skull screw to invade the brain when implanted into the cranium, the second conductive skull screw not including a head having a diameter wider than the constant outside diameter; c. a transponder electrically coupled to the first conductive skull screw and to the second conductive skull screw, the transponder capable of being implanted between the cranium and the scalp, the transponder capable of detecting a differential electrical potential between the first conductive skull screw and the second conductive skull screw and generate a signal representative thereof, the transponder also capable of transmitting the signal; d. an external receiver that receives the signal from the transponder and generates an output corresponding to the signal; and e. a computer, in communication with the external receiver, that initiates a predetermined action that controls an external environment upon receiving the output from the external receiver and determining that the signal has a predetermined signal strength and duration so as to indicate attempted cortical control by a patient.