Brain implant senses ‘intent’ to move robotic arm

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Brain implant senses ‘intent’ to move robotic arm

A neuroprosthetic device implanted in Erik Sorto’s brain allowed him to drink unaided for the first time in 13 years.
Researchers in the United States have developed a new kind of brain implant that helps patients move robotic arms.

Researchers said Thursday the brain implant offers new promise to disabled people with spinal injuries to seamlessly control robotic limbs or even entire body suits in the future.

The clinical trial of the neuroprosthetic device was done by a team from the California Institute of Technology, the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

Erik Sorto, who has been paralyzed from the neck down for 13 years after a gunshot wound, is “the first person in the world to have a neural prosthetic device implanted in a region of the brain where intentions are made,” they said in an article published by the journal Science.

Researchers say the device enables the 34-year-old patient to make a hand-shaking gesture, grab a cup to drink from and even play “rock, paper, scissors” with his robotic arm.

Researchers had previously inserted implants in the motor cortex, which controls motion, to control prosthetics.

In the latest trial, however, they placed two micro-electrode arrays in “higher” brain region, called the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), which processes plans for movements including reach and grasp…..More Here

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Brain implant senses ‘intent’ to move robotic arm