In order to play complex pieces on stringed instruments, musicians need amazing dexterity to maneuver the different notes.

Thanks to a special interface system, however, this group of musicians can play instruments with only their minds.

The Paramusical Ensemble is a group of four artists with intensely damaged motor control skills. The quartet wears rubber caps made up of Brain-Computer Music Interfacing systems with electrodes that can detect the user’s brain waves. A computer screen is set up in front of the musicians that displays different samples of music – with the help of the caps, all the players have to do is look at the tune that they would like to play.

Patients suffering from ALS – or Lou Gehrig’s disease – can now embrace their talent despite their disabilities.

The quartet performed a piece called Activating Memory at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disabilty in London. The melody was captured by Tim Grabham and Professor Eduardo Reck Miranda as part of their nine-minute documentary about the project.

(WATCH the video below)

Paramusical Ensemble from cinema iloobia on Vimeo.