Scientists at the University of Washington (UW) are currently developing a device called BrainGate that can enable patients who are paralyzed to move their limbs, according to The Seattle Times. The team has received a four-year grant of $16 million from the National Science Foundation in hopes of creating an implantable device that can interpret brain signals and eventually be available for use in clinical trials in eight to 10 years. Such a device would improve the ability of doctors to help patients with injuries stemming from spinal-cord or stroke damage and make advances in the field of healthcare devices designed to help patients with such injuries.
BrainGate researchers first tested their system using implants that recorded brain signals and translated these signals into simple commands on a computer, according to Buzzworthy. Afterwards, advancements allowed the researchers to create technology that allowed the patients to use their brain signals to take control of robotic arms and helped them develop a wireless method of recording brain activity in order to develop their current model of the device.
In terms of hardware, these devices are embedded into human neural tissue in a certain manner so that they are not rejected by the brain, which would render them nonfunctional. The first generation of these devices delivered a constant stimulation of electrical impulses, even when patients were resting, whereas current generations are working on designs that only deliver electrical stimulation when needed, according to Motherboard.
"When Christopher Reeve sustained a spinal cord injury due to a fall from his horse, his brain circuits were still intact and able to form the intention to move, but unfortunately the injury prevented that intention from being conveyed to the spinal cord," said Rajesh Rao, director at UW's Center for Sensorimotor Engineering. "Our implantable devices aim to bridge such lost connections by decoding brain signals and stimulating the appropriate part of the spinal cord to enable the person to move again."
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