Brain implants for controlling robotic prostheses. Free Technical Library News

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Brain implants to control robotic prostheses

31.05.2015

The level of technology of our time does not even allow us to talk closely about such things as controlling something with the power of thought. At least if we mean exactly what is usually meant by such a formulation.

But on the other hand, there are many projects and ready-made solutions that do not use thought as a formulated idea of something, but directly the so-called "brain waves". For example, back in 2008, OCZ showed the NIA controller, which recorded not only the activity of the facial muscles, but also those very low-intensity electromagnetic waves.

But game controllers based on such technologies, even after seven years, are, in fact, nothing more than pampering. But robotic prostheses controlled by the "power of thought" are really extremely useful for the disabled.

The main problems of all such devices are the high complexity of prosthesis control at the initial stages, as well as a certain differentiation of actions. Both problems come from the technology itself. For more or less full-fledged work with such devices, a fairly long calibration is required. But even after the user gets used to it, the second problem remains. The fact is that a person in ordinary life does not think about how to perform this or that action with his hand or foot. We do not even think that we want to make some kind of movement (of course, there are exceptions). In the case of prostheses, everything is different. A person has to think through every step of a particular movement (raise his arm, bend at the elbow, stretch, and so on).

But a new development from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) could make life easier for people in need. Specially designed implants are placed in the posterior parietal cortex, while often similar solutions are implanted in another part of the brain. The bottom line is that this part of the brain is not responsible for the work of the muscles, but for the "intention" to perform some kind of action.

The development, unlike many others, has already been tested in practice. Paralyzed for the past 13 years, Erik Sorto received new implants. According to the thematic resources, Sorto was happy that he was able to drink a can of beer on his own. Moreover, it is claimed that Sorto was able to control the prosthesis on the first day after the operation.

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