Researchers used a portable electroencephalography (EEG) device to record electrical signals from the brains of 16 patients diagnosed as being in a vegetative state.

研究人员使用携带型脑电图仪记录了16名被诊断为处于植物人状态的患者大脑中传来的电子信号。

youdao

Finally, they gave the instructions to a patient who had been diagnosed as being vegetative two years earlier.

最后，他们给一个两年前被诊断为植物人的病人发出指示。

youdao

All had been diagnosed as being in a vegetative state - a condition where a person is awake, but has no sense of awareness of themselves or their surroundings.

一个人醒来时却对自己和周围环境毫无知觉的情形，都被诊断为植物人状态。

youdao

The odds of recovery drop to almost zero after a year of being vegetative.

FORBES: Twilight Zone

Finally, they gave the instructions to a patient who had been diagnosed as being vegetative two years earlier.

ECONOMIST: Vegetative state

In a separate news article I have written about the extraordinary brain-scanning technique which is being used to help some vegetative patients to communicate.

BBC: Finding a voice for the brain injured