Gizmodo
A neurosurgery team at Osaka University is now installing brain-machine interfaces directly into patients' heads. They claim the invasive open-skull surgery allows control over robotic limbs with the mind more accurately. In fact, in trials with four test subjects, their method has more than 80% accuracy.
Team leader Professor Toshiki Yoshimine says that using electrode sheets directly installed over the brain's surface increases the sensibility in comparison to skin electrodes. This is a risky procedure in and of itself, so the team has been working with volunteers that had electrodes installed for other medical applications, like epilepsy monitoring.
The operation doesn't require penetration into the brain itself: they put the electrode sheet in the central sulcus, also called the Rolandic fissure after Luigi Rolando, the Italian professor who devoted his life to the study of brain anatomy. This fold separates the brain's parietal lobe from the frontal lobe, but more importantly in this case, the primary motor cortex from the primary somatosensory cortex—the key area for voluntary muscle operation in the body.
The Osaka University team's next step is to actually connect these patients to actual robotic limbs, so they can control them using the software modelled after the data collected from their previous experiments. [Asahi via Pink Tentacle]
Comments
Ah, delicious neck juice.
Head.
(Sorry, I couldnt control myself.)
Volunteers? Hell, I'm in. As long as I can control a number of different sex toys with my brain... Eeeexcellent.
I actually remember seeing something on TV about people getting something hooked up to their head that allows them to move a mouse cursor on a screen. I think it read/measured their brainwaves or something. It was pretty cool.
This will be a boon for the thriving DIY brain surgery crowd.
right, like no one expected this to happen sometime. It's only logical. Problem is the multi-billion dollar mousepad industry
80%? Those are good odds for poker, but not so great for, say, walking. Would you let someone stick electrodes in your "Rolandic fissure" in exchange for the ability to knock over your sippy cup 2 out of 10 times?
Boy, this all sounds so pleasant!
"has been working with voluntaries that had electrodes installed for other medical applications"
volunteers, maybe?
"The operation doesn't require to penetrate into the brain itself"
maybe: 'doesn't require penetration into the brain itself'
/nazi
Video of the other 20% please.
(Actually, this is pretty freakin incredible...
...but I'd still like video of the other 20% please.)
Huh. It figures that a plumber would figure out how to do this... Oh wait. Wrong Luigi. Sorry.
@Papsky: this is what i was talkin about in my earlier comment.
[news.bbc.co.uk]
Is the 80% accuracy the success rate of the surgery in allowing the brain to control the robotic limbs or is it that the brain only has 80% accuracy when it uses the limbs?
I actually wouldn't mind 80% accuracy as long as I can have giant, powerful robotic limbs that allow me to throw cars and tear open ATM machines.
I say hook this up to that boston dynamics creepy dog robot thing, and we could have super mind-powered robo-centaurs.
...then arm them with lances and joust!
@nutbastard:
You missed a couple, but I don't want to nitpick... oops, guess I AM nitpicking :o
Yes, the procedure may be invasive, but if truly available to those who have either completely lost their limbs or just the use of them, I would think that many would opt for the chance to be able to control robotic appendages, if only to slap Uwe Boll.
@Curves: Til youre burning up
Head
Til you get enough
Head
Til youre love is red
Head love you til youre dead
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh yeah
@nutbastard:
Well, if you're going to edit...you might as well also note :
"They claim the invasive open-skull surgery increases allows to control robotic limbs with the mind more accurately."
"This is a risky procedure on itself, "
"The Osaka University team next step"
..but really...who comes here for the English lessons?? I just wanted to see someone's brain get poked at!
Pics from one of the best MST3K movies ever.
Definitely sounds like a win for the quadriplegic crowd.
If they can get enough voluntaries, to test it, of course...
@SgtMac02:
ey i wanted to alert him to some erros, not crush his spirit by listing ALL of em. jerk!
n. pl. vol·un·tar·ies
1. Music
a. A short piece of music, often improvised on a solo instrument, played as an introduction to a larger work.
b. A piece for solo organ, often improvised, played before, during, or after a religious service.
2. A volunteer.
As this will be the ONLY time I may ever get to bring my neuroanatomy knowledge to bear here, I will point out two things...
First, it's the primary motor cortex which is responsible for voluntary muscle control, not the somatosensory cortex.
Second, motor and sensory innervation of the body is represented by a "homonculus." The body is literally mapped to the brain according to this homonculus.
[spinacare.files.wordpress.com]
Now, talk amongst yourselves.
@scarbrtj: Excellent analysis. I was reading down all of the comments to see if anyone else picked up on this.
It's "The Brain that Wouldn't Die" ! Gizmodo pictoral references are so awesomely obscure.
Well, someone has to say it:
Resistance is futile.
OK, needing a prosthetic would make life inconvenient enough for me. Needing an updated driver for a prosthetic would make life REALLY inconvenient for me.
Professor:
- And NOW, our test subject will mind-control this robotic arm to hold his willy and pee on that toilet....
Test subject:
- Riiiiiiiip... OUCH..... NO NO NO !...
Professor:
- Apparently the robotic arm placed a mechanical finger in test subject anus after he exibited some flatulence induced by pee-straining symdrome.
- Well, we don't have 80% accuracy for nothing !....
Fade to black and commercials...
Servo [as Jan]: You just had to go fast, didn't you? Now look, Mr. Bigshot! Now I don't have a body anymore! Are you happy?
- - -
[In search of a replacement body for Jan's head, Dr. Bill Cortner examines cardboard cutouts of buxom strippers at a club.]
Mike [as Cortner]: Well, she can't have a cardboard body. I've ruled that out.
Servo [as Cortner]: Well, it's nice and all, but I want something sleazy.
- - -
[Cortner attends a "Body Beautiful" beauty "auction".]
Mike [as Announcer]: Contestant number 3 slipped and her head fell off!
Servo [as Cortner]: I'LL TAKE HER, I'LL TAKE HER!!
- - -
Crow [as Jan]: Look. You know they say there's always someone worse off? I'm that person!
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