Novel Brain-Computer Interface Improves Control of Prosthetic Hands With Thought Alone
DA Gadgets 
A
recent
breakthrough
by
researchers
at
the
German
Primate
Center,
led
by
Andres
Agudelo-Toro,
a
scientist
in
the
Neurobiology
Laboratory,
has
significantly
advanced
the
field
of
brain-computer
interfaces.
The
study,
conducted
with
rhesus
monkeys,
has
resulted
in
a
training
protocol
that
enables
precise
control
of
prosthetic
hands
purely
through
brain
signals.
This
novel
approach
focuses
on
the
neural
signals
responsible
for
different
hand
postures,
which
are
essential
for
controlling
prosthetic
devices,
rather
than
the
previously
assumed
velocity
signals.
The
Importance
of
Fine
Motor
Skills
The
capability
to
manipulate
everyday
objects,
such
as
carrying
shopping
bags
or
threading
a
needle,
hinges
on
our
fine
motor
skills,
which
many
take
for
granted.
Individuals
affected
by
conditions
like
paraplegia
or
diseases
such
as
amyotrophic
lateral
sclerosis
(ALS)
can
experience
profound
limitations
in
mobility
due
to
muscle
paralysis.
As
a
result,
researchers
have
invested
decades
into
developing
neuroprostheses—artificial
limbs
designed
to
restore
movement.
The
Study
Process
During
the
study,
monkeys
were
initially
trained
to
move
a
virtual
avatar
hand
on
a
screen.
Once
they
grasped
this
task,
they
progressed
to
controlling
the
avatar
through
mental
imagery,
a
method
that
measures
activity
in
the
neurons
responsible
for
hand
movements.
The
researchers
adapted
their
algorithm
to
incorporate
both
the
endpoint
of
a
movement
and
the
trajectory
taken
to
reach
it,
enhancing
the
precision
of
the
avatar’s
movements.
Significance
of
Findings
The
findings
of
this
study
underscore
the
critical
role
of
hand
posture
signals
in
the
effective
operation
of
neuroprostheses,
according
to
Hansjörg
Scherberger,
head
of
the
Neurobiology
Laboratory
and
senior
author
of
the
study.
This
research
could
pave
the
way
for
improved
functionality
of
future
brain-computer
interfaces,
ultimately
enhancing
the
fine
motor
skills
of
prosthetic
hands
and
restoring
mobility
to
those
in
need.
