Paralyzed man controls robot arm for record 7 months with new brain chip
The team is focused on further improving the AI so that the arm movements are more fluid and faster.
A reality where a paralyzed patient thinks about moving his limbs while a robotic arm imitates his intention has finally been achieved at UC San Francisco, thanks to a recently developed brain-computer interface (BCI), a device that interprets brain signals and converts them to commands for motion.
Most BCIs previously available have a two-day maximum shelf life with a possibility of disruption, however, this one astonishingly operated for a full seven months without major recalibration.
The biggest advancement comes from the AI model that this BCI is built around. It adapts to natural shifts in brain activity over time, allowing the participant to refine his imagined movements.
“This blending of learning between humans and AI is the next phase for these brain-computer interfaces,” said neurologist Karunesh Ganguly. “It’s what we need to achieve sophisticated, lifelike function.”
How the system works
The study participant, who suffered paralysis from a stroke, was implanted with small sensors on the surface of the brain. When the patient pictured moving their limbs or head, these sensors captured the brain’s activity. Over time, researchers found that while the brain’s movement patterns remained consistent in shape, their exact locations shifted slightly from day to day.
This outlines why previous BCIs failed so quickly.