Paralyzed man controls robotic arms with brain: man and machine work together via neurolink

A partially paralyzed man can feed himself for the first time in 30 years. With the help of two robotic arms and a direct neurolink between his brain and a computer that controls the prostheses, he manages to eat with a knife and fork.

A computer voice gives commands such as ‘fork moves towards food’ and ‘knife retracts’. The patient is partially paralyzed and makes small movements with his fists. He gives the signals at the right time and cuts off a piece of food. After that, he chooses to bring the food to his mouth.

The man has not been able to use his fingers for thirty years, but now he effortlessly spoons his dessert by controlling the robot arms very precisely with his brain. He uses a so-called brain-machine interface (BMI), a brain implant that provides direct communication between the brain and computer.

No science fiction

The computer decodes the signals from the brain and ‘translates’ them. In this way different devices can be controlled. For example, it is possible to move a cursor on a screen. Also, as this study shows, you can have a pair of artificial arms do what you intend to do. And all this just by thinking about it and sending the neural signals to the computer.

Multidisciplinary science

This groundbreaking research, that in trade magazine Frontiers in Neurorobotics popped upwas set up and developed by an American team of the famous Johns Hopkins University, specializing in neurorobotics. In this branch of science, knowledge of neuroscience, computer science and robotics comes together. The development of the BMI and the control of the robot arms is the temporary highlight after more than fifteen years of research. Several organizations, including the US Department of Defense, have financially supported the search for interactive prosthetics.

The man controls his paralyzed fingers via a neurolink. Photo: Peter Schreiber.media/Getty Images

Man and machine coupled

The new findings revolve around the theme of ‘shared control’, which allows humans to move robotic prostheses with minimal mental input. “The shared control by the BMI is a way to use the robot arms in such a way that you have ‘the best of both worlds’. The user can fine-tune the movements of the prostheses and along the way the computer learns the patient’s personal preferences,” says project manager Dr Francesco Tenore.

“We still have a lot of testing and research ahead of us, but we are very excited about what we have achieved so far. We can (back) give people with very limited motor skills a great sense of freedom of movement. And all this because of the ever smarter machines and robotic tools,” explains Tenore.

Closing the loop

The scientists are already working on next steps. For example, there are plans to connect people with amputated limbs to a similar computer system. The goal is then to send nerve impulses from the brain via the BMI system. These signals are intended for the muscles in the amputated limb, but arrive at the prosthesis via the neurolink, the theory goes.

The idea is to send neural feedback back to the brain so that the visual feedback used in the current experiment is no longer needed. “There are still many bears on the road and much work to be done. The execution of tasks could be better. Both the timing and the accuracy can still be criticized, but we will do our best to push the limits of what is possible,” said Tenore.