Brain gate technology

04/18/2023 1Braingate Technology

BRAIN GATE TECHNOLOGY(Turning thoughts into Action)

Sweeti Kumari Sah(Nepal)


1) Introduction2) History3) Working Mechanism4) Advantages5) Disadvantages6) Future Concerns7) Conclusion

OVERVIEW


Brain gate is an electrode chip implemented in the brain which contains an internal signal sensor and external processor that converts neural signals into an output signal.

The signals generated by brain are interpreted and translated into cursor movement in computer screen to control the computer.

This mind-to-movement system allows a quadriplegic person to control a computer using only his thoughts.

What is Brain Gate/Brain Machine Interface/Brain Computer Interface???


After 10 years of study and research, Brain gate was developed by Cyberkinetics, a bio-tech company in Foxboro, Massachusetts, laid down by Nicholas Halsopulas a neuroscientist in Chicago University in 2003 in conjunction with the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University.

Dr. John Donaghue director of the brain science program at Brown University who made Brain gate possible.

History

Nicholas Halsopulas

John Donaghue


How Brain Gate Works

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The principle is that with the intact brain functions, brain signals are generated even though they are not sent to the arms, hands and legs.

The signals are interpreted and translated into cursor movements, offering the user an alternate “BRAIN GATE PATHWAY” to control a computer with thought.

The user can use that cursor to control the computer, just as a mouse is used.Braingate Technology

Basic Principle


Body's voluntary movements are controlled by the brain.

The brain area involved in controlling these movements is called motor cortex.

The motor cortex receive information from various lobes of brain - information about the body's position in space, goal to be attained & strategy for attaining it.

Brain


Components of Brain Gate:Sensor

A 4mm*4mm silicon chip studded with 100 hair-thin microelectrodes is embedded in the primary motor cortex the region of the brain responsible for controlling movement. The Connector

When the user thinks “move cursor up and down”, the cortical neurons fire in a distinctive pattern: the signal is transmitted through the pedestal plug attached to the skull.


ConverterThe signal travels to a shoebox-sized

amplifier mounted on the user’s wheelchair, where it’s converted to optical data and bounced by fiber-optic cable to a computer. Computer The computer translates brain activity and creates the communication output using custom decoding software.



This technology is based on : SENSE TRANSMIT & ANALYSE APPLY the language of neurons.

How it implements?


The computers translate brain activity and create the communication output using custom decoding software.

System uses adaptive algorithms and pattern-matching techniques to facilitate communication. The algorithms are written in C, JAVA and MATLAB.

Software behind Brain Gate…


At first, rats were implanted with BCI.

Signals recorded from the cerebral cortex of rat to operate BCI to carry out the movement.

Brain Gate Research in animals:


Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh had demonstrated on a monkey that can feed itself with a robotic arm simply by using signals from its brain.

Using only its mind the monkey was able to control a cursor on a computer monitor via Brain Gate.

It Worked!


Since there were no complications in trials with monkeys

Next Step: Humans!

In December 7, 2004, brain-computer interface had been clinically tested on a human by Cyberkinetics.

The first participant in these trials, a 25-year-old man who had sustained a spinal cord injury leading to paralysis in all four limbs three years prior to the study.


Over a period of nine months, he took part in 57 sessions during which the implanted Brain Gate sensor recorded activity in his motor cortex while he imagined moving his paralyzed limbs and then used that imagined motion for several computer-based tasks such as, moving a computer cursor to open simulated e-mail, draw circular shapes and play simple video games.

Mathew Nagle’s Statement :“I can't put it into words. It's just—I use my brain. I just thought it. I said, "Cursor go up to the top right." And it did, and now I can control it all over the screen. It will give me a sense of independence.”

Nagle, a 25-year-old quadriplegic, the first human fitted with the

Brain Gate Neural Interface.


Controlling remote devices Making and receiving telephone callsAccessing the internetTurn on or off the lights Control robotic armWatch and control televisionUse the PCLocking or unlocking doorsMotorized wheelchair

Advantages :


Extremely expensive

Although the chip is extremely small, it still means surgery on the brain, which is always risky and can be dangerous.

Not Wireless yet. Restricts the person to be in the area of the device.

Difficulty in adaptation and learning.

This process is still very slow and takes a very long time. Limitation in information transform rate. The latest technology is 20 bits/min.

Disadvantages :


Emphasis should be on improving the information transform rate.

Stronger algorithm should be implemented.

Wireless technologies should be used.

Further Concerns…


Enable users to perform a wide variety of daily activities without assistances of technician.

Smaller ,wireless device .

The user will have an improved control of respiratory system, limb with muscle stimulation or robotics.

Future Scope :


The invention of Brain gate is such a revolution in medical field.

The remarkable breakthrough offers hope that people who are paralysed will one day be able to independently operate artificial limbs, computers or wheelchairs.

Conclusion

Dr. John Donoghue (L.) accepts the $1 million B.R.A.I.N Award from President Shimon Peres at the recent BrainTech 2013 event in Tel Aviv.


Query

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various lobes of brain