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Project name: Brain
Communicator
Function: Allows severely
paralyzed or locked-in individuals to control their personal computers
via electrical activity of their brains. No patient-initiated movement is
necessary. Initial training teaches users how to move and click their
computer mouse cursor anywhere on the screen to type text, to surf the
Internet, for environmental control, etc.
Candidates: The Brain
Communicator is well-suited for patients who are severely paralyzed or
locked-in, and who therefore have very limited options in their
communications with others, such as ALS
patients on a ventilator. Patients must be cognitively intact with no
history of epilepsy.
Procedure: There are
two choices. One is the patented Neurotrophic Electrode, whereby the
electrode tip is implanted 5mm under the surface of the brain and the
outer end is attached to amplifiers and FM transmitters located on the
skull, under the scalp. No wires or batteries are used. Power is provided
by a power induction system similar to your toothbrush holder that
charges the toothbrush overnight. This implantation requires major
surgery lasting about 10 hours. The neural signals are transmitted to and
processed by a computer to activate a switch or drive a cursor and hence
provide communication. This
system is being actively studied as a means of restoring speech.
The other option is to implant a patented conductive skull screw that
does not enter the brain. It records from local field potentials over the
surface of the cortex, rather like a very precise EEG
(electroencephalogram). These signals can be used to activate a switch
and hence provide communication.
This option is not actively being pursued at present.
Before
implantation, the subject undergoes a functional MRI.
This determines if there is brain activity even when there is no
movement. The implant target is thus chosen. The system is also used at
surgery to guide the surgeon onto target for accurate implantation.
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