Monkeys managed to move a wheelchair with the mind – Clarín.com

Move a wheelchair only with the strength of mind is something that can be done, at least in monkeys, as stated by American scientists in the journal “Scientific Reports”.

We have achieved technology without Machine-Interface-brain (BMI) cables, via implants in the brain. Scientists believe that this is an option in the future to get some mobility to people suffering total paralysis. However, independent experts estimate that before reaching that point is still much research and development done.

The team of scientists headed by Miguel Nicolelis, University of Medicine Duke, in Durham, (North Carolina), i mplantaron two rhesus macaques electrodes in different brain areas where the movement commands are given. , not paralyzed, healthy animals were placed for the experiment in a box on wheels.

Initially, this chair wheeled robot was taken to a container with grapes without your intervention. The monkeys quickly learned to move themselves the wheelchair using brain activity patterns translated via BMI order to reach the bowl with grapes. And, eventually, improved control over the vehicle.

“The results show that in the future, BMI implanted in the brain may give mobility throughout the body to people with severe paralysis “, conclude Nicoelis and colleagues.

the electrodes for BMI have been implanted in people not only externally on the skin head, but also in the brain. But above all to “lean” neural impulses of movement of the hand and fingers and these are moved to move a joystick or a prosthetic arm.

Experts believe a breakthrough that now, first time, has translated a movement of the whole body the brain known as moving the wheelchair.

“what is new is that the apparatus (chair) moves, which previously had no representation in the cortex, “said Gabriel Curo expert neurophysics hospital Berliner Charité German. Curo expressed reservations with the fact that monkeys used for the study were not paralyzed, as it can not be ruled also sensory neural impulses had contributed, even if minimally, movement, eg arm. This point is something that US investigators want to continue studying.

Professor Alexander Gail, an expert in neuroscience at the University of Gottingen, progress mainly occurs in wireless transmission, an important fact both for invasive interventions for BMI as neuroprótesis. “Really magnificent it will be when the technology is so small that it can be completely under the skin.”

Nothing is unknown to what extent patients leave implanting these electrodes in the brain. “That completely patient and risk assessment depends,” says Curo, whose team works with implants in the skin of the head

Source:. DPA