Paralyzed boy with ideas on TV

The world's first bionic man in America was born

Matthew · Nagorno in 5 years ago in the incident, severe damage to the spinal cord, body part from the world's best, and paralyzed below your breath. But in the brain after implantation of electrodes, 25-year-old Nagorny can alone independent simple everyday life, can carry things, open an e-mail message, replace the TV channel, playing video games. Even more amazing is that he is engaged in all these activities only by the power of imagination.

The perfect combination of human brain computer

Nagorno is involved in this sophisticated neural research experiment of the transplantations. After the implantation of electrodes, he can only rely on the brain to operate computer and picker. By the United States, Brown University · neural technology expert John Donahue-led research team in the latest issue of the journal nature on describes their findings: they put a set of electrodes implanted in the brain to Nagorno brain, can produce a million neurons of an activity into the brain signals, the signal can operate his body outside of the instrument.

Nagorny cannot use thinking to move the cursor on the computer screen, open the e-mail message, replace the TV channel, the picker to get something and move while playing with some simple computer games. Engaged in these activities, he can also be like any able-bodied men. Second participation experiment of patients, aged 55 years old, from 1999 to date have been paralyzed, researchers also in his implanting electrodes in the brain, he now can successfully use their thinking action instruments, although the effect is not noticeable Nagorno-. But after 11 months, from his brain signals that somehow suddenly disappeared, researchers are still investigated.

Donahue Professor created company Cyberkinetics has developed a technique called "forehead" (Braingate) implants. He said: "this research very rich prospects, maybe we will be able to use those brain signals activate the limbs muscular, nervous system through the effective recovery of the body the brain on muscle control. "3 months ago, the United States and anatomical society of the first open its bionic man, a concept based on today's world of microelectronics technology, this also directly allow scientists to develop to the piano picker and strong" exoskeleton "and other advanced devices," exoskeleton "can make the wearer in a heavy load of long distances. Anatomical society of the United States, a program named "$ 6 billion human beings," the allusion comes from the 1970s TV series the $ 6 million man ".

Gospel of hundreds of thousands of disabled patients

They are not the first to receive brain implant patients, but it is the most successful. Prior to this, some of the human brain and the computer attempts to link only limited success achieved, patients can only move the cursor around and operation with a slow and laborious. Scientists also tried the electrodes implanted into the scalp of technical testing, but these need to be patient for a few months of training, can we truly flexible use.

Some experts warn that this burgeoning technology might be applied to a more sinister purposes. In the United States, at least ten more laboratory is engaged in human computer interface research, many laboratory for United States military 2500 million of funding to support research and development, military robot, "" murder is very interested in this kind of robot control by soldiers, be treated as a human brain "machine warriors".

As a result of Alzheimer's disease and other diseases and mental problems in patients with implanted electrodes, then you can suppress antisocial tendencies, handling of the "acceptable" response, control of challenging behaviour. United Kingdom scientist 12, late that this progress milestone will be a car accident, strokes and other diseases brought hundreds of thousands of disabled patients hope rehabilitation.

Essex University human brain computer connection interface expert Francisco · Sepulveda said: "the natural" magazine of this thesis is crucial, because this is the implantation technique of first commercial attempts. Implant technology through a person's thinking, using brain signals control instrument. This technique in the future will have major implications for disabled persons, and ultimately also for use by able-bodied. This means that if some reliable animal testing for more support, we can in the United Kingdom to more exploration. ”

First successful application to the human

University of Southampton in neuromuscular Rehabilitation Research Professor Mary · Stokes said: "this is the first report on the human brain computer interface technology successfully in human studies. Even if only one person carried out a comprehensive study, these findings are also impressive, especially your side of the conversation, but also can use the system. "In the former Nagorno to experiment, the scientists is not aware of a man paralyzed for several years can produce activities required brain signals. But only through the first experiment, the scientists almost fully implanted electrodes may be able to record the neural signal mode, in addition, his brain is not just passed the "noise". Computer can filter and compile various nerve signals.

Researchers also Nagorno using the device after the response was very excited, because a previous brain implants response faster on 10 times. Another research group in accelerated brain and machine interface has made progress. Their research shows that consumers in every minutes at the keyboard play 15 words of Velocity Exchange of information is entirely possible. The Panel on the monkey experiment research results published in the most

New issue of the journal nature.

Chicago neural surgeon Dr. Richard · Payne is the sensors implanted in the second place in the brain of a doctor. Payne, said: "this is my implementation of the strangest and most interesting in the case of the operation. This is not an edge in technology and materials, but we have different models of neural raw data obtained from you in different ways, modes of thinking. This is just the beginning. ”

Giving a third factor "of mankind"

Nagorny took only a few days to learn how to move the PC cursor, the electrode is implanted into the scalp of patients, they acquire the skills needed for a few months time. Initially, Nagorny imagine yourself to be in by body mobile computer cursor, but he was soon adapted to imagine the cursor itself in a mobile way. In this way, the computer cursor became his third factor or third leg, useful with his two hands and two legs.

This technology's success depends on its interpretation of the brain's electrical activity, and turn it into useful activities. The researchers found that certain actions, accompanied by the corresponding neural original discharge (neurons firing) mode, the sensor can only select all activities. Even simple tasks such as lifting arm movements, and also to involve multiple areas from the brain's signals. Donahue, Professor of the process image, than as a microphone in a crowded room, trying to get all the main points of the conversation. When Nagorny efforts will not exact ideas into the exact action, the result is, of course, not smooth, not precise movement, but as time went on, Nagorny on the cursor control will increase and eventually be able to use the cursor to draw a circle on a more or less.

Donahue, Professor, from a long-term perspective, should keep the connection to the patient's head and a large number of cumbersome cables to get rid of electronic components. Device miniaturization allows implantation of the device smaller brain, skull completely cover it all, like a pacemaker. Signals from the brain to be wirelessly transmitted to the processor, making computers, manipulators, and other devices start running.

Implants and of course there are some defects, some scientists believe that disability of patients, they are not the best treatment options. Some scientists also found in Nagorny, doing experiments that the risk of damage to the brain. If the patient's brain implants produce exclusion, it may allow other researchers to abandon the idea of seeking the technology.

In addition, the implantation of electrodes easy to trigger inflammation and infection, as a result, the electrode will lose effectiveness. Donahue, Professor firmly believes that the paralysis patients fully with their surrounding environment interaction is the only way, through the implantation of electrodes in patients with brain. He said: "there is no other way can give you need noise signal into something that can be used in patients. ”

The first step in a long

Other researchers more ambitious. United States, North Carolina, Duke University neural biologists Miguel · Nicklas believes that help people with disabilities back up ideas is achievable. Nicklas taking a breath of juice in return, teach a brain implant in 4-wire serial interface (microwire) Monkey on the computer screen, move the cursor. He is currently developing an exoskeleton, exoskeleton like the movie "cool dog baby: Magic space clothing" in the space like wearing clothing, however, it has stronger control force.

Nicklas is also studying "sharing control" technology to overcome the implantable brain problems arising from the sensor. This sensor can only gets a small portion of neurons. Using this technique, the picker to be brain basic instructions issued by the control, but such activities through pre-set intelligent process optimization and execution. Nicklas challenge is to develop subject to more complex software control of more advanced surgical repair of the body.

Of course, this is just the first step in a long, in the future, there is a longer way to go, there are many obstacles to be overcome, for example, different people on the brain implants of different reactions, and over time, the electrodes can become inefficient, and so on. Severe damage to the spinal cord patients more for young people so that they use the technology of the time may take up to several decades. Use thinking to control our world around the idea of the past exist only in science fiction movies. But now, with the latest generation of brain implant technology is developing rapidly, the dream has now facing reality has taken an important step in the dream seemed closer to us.