Brain-Computer Interface Could Make it Feasible to Control a Prosthetic Knee
From: Rehab Management - 02/15/2017

Research presented recently at the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
Annual Meeting looks at the potential of using a brain-computer interface to
help manipulate a prosthesis via one's thoughts.

Controlling a prosthesis with thoughts could be a big step toward helping to
bring patients back to the same ease, comfort, and ability as with a natural
leg, investigator, Douglas P. Murphy, MD, from Hunter Holmes McGuire VA
Medical Center, adds.

In the study, Murphy and his team worked with a patient whose leg has been
amputated above the knee. Using surface scalp electrodes to transmit
brainwave data to a computer software program, the patient was taught how to
activate a knee-unlocking switch through mental imaging.

The participant learned to activate the knee-unlocking switch on his
prosthesis that turned on a motor and unlocked his prosthetic knee. He then
proceeded to walk up and down parallel bars while demonstrating his ability
to unlock the knee to swing his leg and to sit down. Throughout the study,
the participant was able to successfully unlock his knee anywhere from 50% to
100% of the time, and he noted (through a questionnaire) his reactions to
using BCI with his prosthesis.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.rehabpub.com/2017/02/brain-computer-interface-make-feasible-control-prosthetic-knee

Link:
Association of Academic Physiatrists
http://www.physiatry.org