Brain-Machine Interface Helps Man With Paralysis Feed Himself Using Robotic Arms

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Engadget: Johns Hopkins University-led researchers have developed a new technique that let a partially paralyzed man feed himself using robotic arms connected through a brain-machine interface. He only had to make small movements with his fists at certain prompts (such as "select cut location") to have the fork- and knife-equipped arms cut food and bring it to his mouth. He could have dessert within 90 seconds, according to the researchers. The new method centers on a shared control system that minimizes the amount of mental input required to complete a task. He could map his four-degree freedom of movement (two for each hand) to as many as 12 degrees of freedom for controlling the robot arms. The limbs' prompt-based intelligent responses also reduced the workload. The researchers "want to add touch-like sensor feedback instead of relying exclusively on visuals," the report says. "They also hope to improve the accuracy and efficiency while reducing the need for visual confirmation."

The only side effect is a pixelated head.

[Too Late for Cool ID]

The head pixelization is a small price for being able to feed yourself.

This is not good news

[windypops]

They've created Doc Octopus and we're supposed to cheer.

so nice to hear positive news

[Quake1v1]

What a wonder! This could lead to all sorts of advancements and one would hope, functional legs as well.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Very cool, possibly dystopian

[jacks smirking reven]

Skimming over the research paper (I can pretend I am actually a real scientist, stroke my beard and say "intriguing") it seem this type of tech is coming along nicely, the participant was able to cut a dessert and feed himself with robotic arms.

Something that jumped out though is the used a Brain-Control-Interface from a company called "Blacrock Neurotech" which between the name and the logo definitely gives vibes of seeing it plastered all over our future Blade Runner-esque citiscapes.

And I for one welcome

I would have thought...

[qzzpjs]

... that the most important first step was getting the robot arms to help wipe himself...

Re:

[Tablizer]

No, the jammed robotic hand scene from Big Bang Theory comes to mind.

Victim: "Couldn't you announce it a bit more discretely?"

Nurse: "Sorry, we don't have a medical code for getting one's [beep] stuck in a robot hand."

Re:

[backslashdot]

Use a high-pressure wash bidet system, you troglodyte.

I, Robot

[sosume]

So - I should start replacing limbs with robotoc prosthetics one by one. Once my brain learns to drive those, I can start replacing the core body parts as well until only the brain is original and loaded with HCI connectors. That should give me a lifespan of over 400 years, unless there is a power outage.

Re:

[mahanerd01]

I could never figure out where the stem cells needed to keep everything in the brain would come into the ecosystem. On a separate note - I think you would not look kindly on folks who have not gone through your upgrades once you were more than say 30% on your way. I think you would start restricting yourself to your fellow upgrades for company pretty soon :-)

Re:

[tepples]

You'd then need some means to supply energy to the brain. As far as I'm aware, that involves a GI tract, liver, and most everything else in a body that isn't bone, skin, or limbs.

invasive cortical BMIs

[Klaxton]

According to the paper they are using "implanted microelectrode arrays using a wired connection from the implants". Not much detail there, but in other similar experiments I have seen this means they opened up the guy's head and settled an array of probes onto the surface of his brain, probably somewhere on the motor cortex. And then in this case he has a cable sticking out of his head that plugs into "three 128 channel Neuroport Neural Signal Processors".

A bit extreme, but all well and good for the advance