The DOD has been funding this research for over a decade. The stated purpose of these grants is to develop a neural interface for amputees or otherwise disabled people to control motorized prosthetics (and to take back sensory information). Some labs are directly applying new technologies in patients and seeing some results, most are using and developing these technologies to better research how the brain works in general, in rodents. The fact of the matter is that these technologies (including near future research goals) require surgery (drilling a hole in the skull) as well as an implant connecting port (imagine a usb port sticking out of your head). On top of that, signals can decay, and so the probe may need to be replaced every 6-18 months. Essentially, these technologies, as they are now and in the next ~8 years at least, will never be used for non-medical purposes. Just want the real information to be out there.

It's important to remember this is about research. But this is a nice article about where the research is focused and where it could go.

This article is well written, and covers some potential outcomes of this research with some informed speculation. Most of the relevant information is relayed in an easily digestible manner, and the breakdown of how the technologies work in theory, while mostly high level explanations, does emphasize enough complexity to construe the point to the reader. Overall, well written.

Although the author speculates at times about the future uses of the technology and the intentions of those working on it, overall the piece is very informative and well-researched.