Mind/Computer Interface Makes Fast Progress

Speech-recognition is often regarded as one of the next great ease-of-use breakthroughs in computing. Even though the technology gets better every year, it fails to satisfy the masses.

Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems is carrying out advanced work on a neural interface and claims early success with quadriplegic patients. Two quadriplegic patients have successfully used its BrainGate Neural Interface System to control a computer. At the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington D.C., the Foxborough-based company detailed the latest findings of its ongoing pilot study.

Cyberkinetics tested the system successfully using monkeys trained to do repetitive tasks manually and then by using BrainGate’s system, before working with humans. “We have developed a system that can detect the individual firings of neurons in the brain, the firing of one neuron against another,” Tim Surgenor, president and CEO of Cyberkinetics said. “Secondly, we have shown that even after the spinal cord has been severed, the brain continues to send signals to the rest of the body. And third, we’ve been able to convert those signals to useful computer control.”

The BrainGate system requires a silicon chip to be implanted via craniotomy in the participant’s brain. The chip is a set of electrodes to facilitate the interface between brain and computer. Surgenor informed that the first participant, Matthew Nagel gave up his implant after 15 months and is now involved with another implant study in another field. Cyberkinetics is proving its success with a second unnamed male participant.

The current system requires the brain implant to be connected to a medical cart with a PC and other devices designed to calibrate the brain waves. Surgenor said they expected to be able to offer a wireless interface and a more automated system in the future, so that participants can use the device unattended. By combining point-and-click with the ability to perform a few keystrokes, disabled users would have superior access to computing resources. “Think of the Treo smartphone,” said Surgenor. “That would be an ideal system, because you only need to operate a small number of keystrokes to access the Internet.”

The two study participants were able to perform point-and-click operations on the computer screen and change channels on a television using the same part of the brain that would control those movements if they had use of their hands. Surgenor said this is different from game systems that hook participants up via electroencephalography.

“With those, you have to meditate and think an abstract thought to make it work,” he said. “In the ultimate embodiment of our system, you would not be able to tell that the person moving their arms in a wheelchair and able to carry on a conversation wasn’t doing it naturally.” Using the BrainGate, Nagel was able to move a robot arm.

Cyberkinetics last month announced the collaboration with Case Western University in a project designed to help restore arm movements through an implantable system of electrodes. “What we provide is the input signal, a kind of control signal to make the arm move,” explained Surgenor.

Ultimately Cyberkinetics expects to develop a universal operating system that will enable those with motor impairments to quickly and reliably control a wide range of devices, including computers, assistive technologies and medical devices, simply by using their thoughts. Surgenor said the costs are in the $15,000 USD to $20,000 USD range, about comparable to other implantable systems used to help with hearing loss and Parkinson’s disease.

Source: Internet News