Neuroscientists create the first brain-controlled exoskeleton [Tomorrow's Tech]

We’ve had brain-computer interfaces for years now, in addition as mind-controlled prosthetic limbs. Now neuroscientists have taken it to a better level, with a system that could permit you to control an excellent-powered exoskeleton using only your thoughts.

Image of exoskeleton from Raytheon (this form will not be brain-controlled – yet).

It’s a science fiction dream, and now could be virtually reality. Scientists at the University of Chicago were experimenting with brain-computer interfaces in monkeys, teaching them to manage computer cursors via electrodes implanted in their brains. We’ve known for it slow that interested by moving activates an analogous areas of the brain as moving itself does – so monkeys (and humans) learn how to try this by imagining that they’re moving left, right, up or down. But the researchers discovered that the monkeys learned much faster if their arms were moved together the cursor did – basically, they got feedback via movement in their bodies in addition as from observing the monitor.

According to a release concerning the study from the Society for Neuroscience:

The authors worked with two adult rhesus macaques to assess a system that includes a sense of movement. Each monkey was first trained to manipulate a cursor using brain signals only; electrodes collected and processed data from the monkeys’ motor cortex cells and transmitted those commands to the computer. Basic science research has shown that simply interested in a motion activates brain cells inside the same way that making the movement does, so each monkey needed just to consider moving a cursor to do it.

The researchers equipped each animal with a robotic ” sleeve” that fit over an arm. Within the first component to the experiment, the monkeys controlled the cursor by simply watching the visual display unit. Within the second part, the robotic device moved the monkey’s relaxed arm in tandem with the cursor movement, so the monkey could sense the cursor’s motion in time and space. The authors found when the monkeys had the extra sensation, the cursor hit the target faster and more directly. The consequences also showed increased movement-related information inside the activity of motor cortex cells, compared with visual-only feedback.

[Lead researcher Nicholas] Hatsopoulos said his group’s findings may pave the best way for enhanced brain-controlled devices that include multiple types of natural or maybe artificially produced sensory feedback. ” Wearable exoskeletal robots may provide sensory information to patients with full or partial feeling,” he said. ” Alternatively, direct stimulation of the relevant area of the cortex is likely to be used to duplicate sensory feedback in patients who have lost both motor and sensory function.”

What this implies is that really we’ve already got the technology to create mind-controlled exoskeletons – we just should develop and refine it. I was particularly intrigued by the concept that we don’t ought to move someone’s limbs to present them motor feedback – just stimulate their motor cortex. After we’ve mastered that, how far are we really from Robocop, whose brain has been set up to a virtually entirely artificial body?

via Society for Neuroscience

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This post is tagged: areas of the brain, basic science research, computer cursors, computer interfaces, powered exoskeleton, sense of movement, university of chicago