Dancer with MND performs on stage again through digital avatar

April 13, 2026

A dancer spinning

(BBC) – A ballerina with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) says she was able to dance again after her brainwaves were used to power an avatar live on-stage in Amsterdam.

Breanna Olson, a mother of three, found out two and a half years ago she had ALS, the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND) and which, with no known cure, weakens muscles and over time affects speech, swallowing and breathing.

However, using sensors to measure the electrical activity transmitted from her brain, her motor signals could be converted into an digital avatar. (Read More)