The wireless connection between the human brain and the computer has become a reality

April 5, 2021

4 minutes to read

The Wireless connection between the human brain and the computerWhich a few years ago seemed like a utopia far from science fiction, is now a reality. A feat is the work of a team Neuroscientists the organization Brain Gate, Dedicated to developing technologies for patients with Neurological diseases a Loss of limbs.

The a study, Published this week in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, explains that BrainGate took the first test. A wireless interface between the brain and the computer (BCI, For its English abbreviation).

This technology works by prof Electrode array or chip Implanted in the motor cortex of the human brain. chip It captures the signals emitted by the nerve cells It sends the data to a computer that is capable of Unscrew it and convert it into instructions. These commands are sent without the need for a cable to be connected to external devices. Thus can patients with paralysis “Write” on the screen a Manipulation of prostheses single With your thoughts.

Congratulations to John Semeral et al. On their exciting new paper on home use of a wireless network #iBCI #BrainGate Device! Embed a Tweet Embed a Tweet Embed a Tweet Embed a Tweet Embed a Tweet Embed a Tweet

– The BrainGate Team (@BrainGateTeam) April 2, 2021

Signs It is recorded and sent with the same accuracy, Which means we can use the same decoding algorithms we use with wired equipment. The only difference is that people really do They do not need to be physically “restrained” For our team, which opens up new possibilities in terms of system usage., Specify in a statement John Semeral, Lead author of the study and assistant professor of engineering at Brown University.

So far, BCI They relied on wires to connect the array of sensors in the brain to computers. Of course, this limits its use of a particular space and requires expert supervision.

BrainGate researchers have successfully replaced all of those wires with The transmitter is small, 5 cm, and weighs approximately 40 grams. It It is positioned at the top of the head and is attached to a slide attached to the inside of the brain to pick up nerve signals.

^{The wireless BCI device used in the study was developed in the laboratory of Arto Nurmikko, a professor at Brown University’s School of Engineering. Image via Brown. edu.}

New directory BCI wireless technology It was performed on two men between 35 and 63 years old with spinal cord injuries. The participants were able to use the system at home, in contrast to other similar laboratory experiments.

“We have shown that this wireless system is functionally equivalent to the wired systems that have been the gold standard in BCI performance for years.”Semeral noted.

Neuroscientists Brain Gate, And is headquartered in the United States, that A wireless connection between the brain and the computer It is a breakthrough in a field BCI. This implantable technology brings the organization closer to its primary goal, which is to help patients Neurological diseasesAnd Injuries a Loss of limbs To recover Transportation, The Mobility And the independence.

Low-bandwidth wireless devices have been reported before, but this is the first large-scale system to transmit the full spectrum of signals recorded by a sensor within the cortex.