Invention allows amputees to control robotic arm with their mind

A University of Minnesota Twin Cities research team has used electronics and artificial intelligence (AI) to make mind reading possible. They have created a system using brain impulses, rather than muscles, that allows amputees to control a robotic arm.

Most commercial prosthetic limbs currently on the market are controlled by the shoulders or chest using a wire and harness system. There are more sophisticated models that use sensors to detect small muscle movements in the natural limb above the prosthetic. However, these options can be difficult to learn how to operate and sometimes are unhelpful.

The new system recently created is less intrusive and also more precise than these previous methods. With the assistance of industrial collaborators, the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota has developed a tiny implantable device. It connects to the peripheral nerve in the arm - when coupled with a robotic arm and an AI computer, it allows upper limb amputees to move the arm with their thoughts.

The incorporation of AI is essential to making this system work so well, as it uses machine learning to help interpret signals from the nerve. Not only does the technology have benefits for amputees, but there is also the potential for it to benefit patients who suffer from chronic pain and neurological disorders.

Image from the New York Times