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This reminds me of an experiment where they put an implant in monkeys' brains that allowed them to control a robotic arm: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/science/29brain.html?_r=1.

That article doesn't mention it, but another article I read at the time (or maybe it was for a followup experiment?) pointed out that while at first the monkeys were moving their own arm in tandem with the robotic arm, eventually they learned to control the robot arm independently of their own arm.

That was the most interesting part to me, because it raises the possibility of someday having something like a Dr. Octopus suit.

Can confirm. Remember reading the same article
Very interesting. You wouldn't even need the thing you are manipulating to be attached to you. In the future you could go beyond Dr. Octopus, to pseudo-telekinesis, manipulating a mass of nanorobots.
The plot of Big Hero Six revolved around exactly that. :)
For reference, a quick Google search indicates that Stephen Hawking's current input rate is 1-2 WPM. This would already be an improvement.
Hasn't Professor Hawking been agitating for Intel and other companies to come up with one for his own use because he is losing control of the last of his muscles?

Looks like he's closer to having it...

I don't think he would be a candidate to this surgery due to his age though.
I think at the point where you have a movie about your life, if you really press, you'll be allowed to get the surgery.
"Don't you know who I am?! I was on The Simpsons!"
So great. These are the people who need it the most, and if done well enough, opens the gateways for non sick people to benefit as well.
There are many groups working on non-invasive technologies that do the same using EEG. One commercial example, which I'm told is quite good: http://www.intendix.com