Objective: The next generation prosthetic hand that moves and feels like a real hand requires a robust neural interconnection between the human minds and machines.
Methods: Here we present a neuroprosthetic system to demonstrate that principle by employing an artificial intelligence (AI) agent to translate the amputee's movement intent through a peripheral nerve interface. The AI agent is designed based on the recurrent neural network (RNN) and could simultaneously decode six degree-of-freedom (DOF) from multichannel nerve data in real-time.
Multichannel longitudinal intrafascicular electrode (LIFE) interfaces provide optimized balance of invasiveness and stability for chronic sensory stimulation and motor recording/decoding of peripheral nerve signals. Using a fascicle-specific targeting (FAST)-LIFE approach, where electrodes are individually placed within discrete sensory- and motor-related fascicular subdivisions of the residual ulnar and/or median nerves in an amputated upper limb, FAST-LIFE interfacing can provide discernment of motor intent for individual digit control of a robotic hand, and restoration of touch- and movement-related sensory feedback. The authors describe their findings from clinical studies performed with 6 human amputee trials using FAST-LIFE interfacing of the residual upper limb.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF. While prosthetic hands with independently actuated digits have become commercially available, state-of-the-art human-machine interfaces (HMI) only permit control over a limited set of grasp patterns, which does not enable amputees to experience sufficient improvement in their daily activities to make an active prosthesis useful..
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Electrical stimulation is a blunt tool for evoking neural activity. Neurons are naturally activated asynchronously and non-uniformly, whereas stimulation drives simultaneous activity within a population of cells. These differences in activation pattern can result in unintended side effects, including muddled sensory percepts and undesirable muscle contractions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe addition of tactile and proprioceptive feedback to neuroprosthetic limbs is expected to significantly improve the control of these devices. Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of somatosensory cortex is a promising method of delivering this sensory feedback. To date, the main focus of somatosensory ICMS studies has been to deliver discriminable signals, corresponding to varying intensity, to a single location in cortex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF