Robotic arm can be controlled by thoughts alone

The brain computer interface technology and training programme, developed by a team from the University of Pittsburgh, enabled quadriplegic Jan Scheuermann to move her arms, turn and bend her wrists, and close her hand for the first time in nine years. "This is a spectacular leap toward greater function and independence for people who are unable to move their own arms," said senior investigator Professor Andrew Schwartz. "The technology, which interprets brain signals to guide a robot arm, has enormous potential that we are continuing to explore." After screening tests confirmed Scheuermann was eligible for the study, Doctors implanted two 4 x 4mm sensors in the motor cortex portion of her brain, with each sensor picking up electrical impulses from around 200 brain cells. After just two days of training, she was able to control the robotic arm using just her thoughts, with her skill steadily increasing over time. The team says that after three months of use, Scheuermann's task completion rate rose to 91.6%. She was also able to complete tasks up to 30 seconds faster than when she first began. "Our findings indicate that by a variety of measures, Scheuermann was able to improve her performance consistently over many days," Schwartz explained. "Perhaps in five to ten years, we will have a device that can be used in the day to day lives of people who are not able to use their own arms." Schwartz continued: "After that, we're hoping this can become a fully implanted, wireless system that people can actually use in their homes without our supervision. It might even be possible to combine brain control with a device that directly stimulates muscles to restore movement of the individual's own limb."