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According to a study published November 21, 2018 in the open access journal, an experimental brain-computer interface (BCI) can allow people with paralysis to directly exploit a standard tablet while thinking of making cursor movements and clicks . PLOS ONE Paul Nuyujukian, Jose Albites-Sanabria and Jad Saab of the BrainGate consortium in the United States, and their colleagues.
Three participants in quadriplegia participating in a clinical trial have received the BrainGate brain-computer interface experimental implant, which detects signals associated with planned movements produced in the brain's motor cortex. These neural signals have been routed to a Bluetooth interface configured to function as a wireless mouse. The virtual mouse was then paired with an unmodified Google Nexus 9 tablet, for which all preloaded accessibility software had been disabled.
Participants were then asked to perform a series of tasks using the tablet, to determine how well they were able to navigate through various commonly used applications and switch from one application to the other. 39; another. Participants browsed the music selections on a streaming service, searched for videos on YouTube, scrolled through a news aggregator, and wrote emails and chats.
The study showed that participants were able to perform up to 22 point-and-click selections per minute while using various applications. In text applications, participants could enter up to 30 effective characters per minute using standard messaging and text interfaces. In addition, participants said they found the interface intuitive and fun to use. One of them said, "It seemed more natural to me than when I remember using a mouse." Another said he has "more control over that than I normally use".
The authors note that this study could open important new routes of communication between patients with severe neurological deficits and their health care providers, especially since the brain-computer interface system does not require communication technology. special help to operate.
"It was great to see our attendees perform the tasks we asked them to do, but the most rewarding and fun part of the study was doing what they wanted to do – using the apps that they liked to buy. by watching videos or simply chatting with friends, "said Dr. Paul Nuyujukian, lead author." One of the participants told us at the beginning of the trial that one of the things she really wanted to do was was to play music again. To see her play on a digital keyboard was fantastic. "
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Adapted by PLOS from a press release provided by the authors.
Peer-reviewed; Experimental study; People
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Quote: Nuyujukian P, Albites J Sanabria, J Saab, Pandarinath C, Jarosiewicz B, Blabe CH, et al. (2018) Cortical control of a tablet by paralyzed people. PLoS ONE 13 (11): e0204566. https: /
Funding: This work was supported by the Stanford Medical Scientist Training Program at PN; Stanford Postdoctoral Office and Craig H. Neilsen Foundation at CP; Stanford BioX-NeuroVentures, Stanford Institute of Neuroscience, Garlick Foundation, and Samuel and Betsy Reeves at JMH and KVS; NIH-NIDCD R01DC014034 to JMH; NIH-NINDS R01NS066311 and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at KVS; NIH-NIDCD R01DC009899, Office of Research and Development, Department of Rehabilitation Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs (B6453R), MGH-Deane Institute, Executive Committee of General Hospital Research Massachusetts General Hospital, and Joseph Martin Award for Basic Research at LRH. The content engages only the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH, the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government. Attention: experimental apparatus. Limited by federal law to experimental use.
Competing interests: I have read the policy of the journal and the authors of this manuscript have the following interests: KVS is a consultant for Neuralink Inc., a member of the scientific advisory boards of Cognescent Inc. and Heal Inc. JMH is a consultant for Therapeutics Circuit and Enspire DBS and is a member of Neuropace Inc.'s Surgical Advisory Council. This does not change our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials
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