Scientists working to perfect a
thought-controlled computer cursor said Monday they have achieved their
best results yet, and are moving closer to creating a version that
paralysis victims can use.
The device
works twice as fast as in previous trials after American developers
found better ways to read brain activity and fine-tuned its hardware and
software, according to results published in the journal Nature
Medicine.
Improving the speed
and accuracy of mind-controlled prostheses is crucial to taking them
from mere lab experiments to helping quadriplegics regain some level of
independence.
"The current
work is a step towards one of our ultimate goals, which is to provide
point-and-click control of any computer system whenever the user
desires," study co-author Jaimie Henderson, of Stanford University, told
AFP by email.
The results
were from the BrainGate clinical trial, which made history in 2011 when a
woman named Cathy Hutchinson used only her thoughts to operate a
robotic arm to bring a flask of coffee to her lips for a sip.
The team compared the
pair's performance with previous attempts, including how well Hutchinson
performed in the same cursor tests for a 2011 study.
The test subjects control the prosthesis via an array of electrodes implanted onto their motor cortices -- the part of the brain that controls body movement.
The 96 tiny electrodes pick up the signals from nearby neurons and send them to a computer that translates them into action.
Researchers said they have made a range of improvements, including filtering out electrical interference that can weaken signals from the brain.
The team asked the participants to try different ways of thinking about moving the cursor in order to find which worked best.
The
study is a collaboration between Brown University, Massachusetts
General Hospital and the US Department of Veterans Affairs as well as
Stanford University and Case Western Reserve University.
Researchers said much more research is needed before widespread use will be possible.
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