Exploring Synergies in Brain-Machine Interfaces: Compression vs. Performance.

Individuals with severe neurological injuries often rely on assistive technologies, but current methods have limitations in accurately decoding multi-degree-of-freedom (DoF) movements. Intracortical brain-machine interfaces (iBMIs) use neural signals to provide a more natural control method, but currently struggle with higher-DoF movements-something the brain handles effortlessly. It has been theorized that the brain simplifies high-DoF movement through muscle synergies, which link multiple muscles to function as a single unit.

LSC50: Colombian Sign Language Video and Inertial Measurement dataset.

In Colombia, approximately more than 500.000 people have disabling hearing loss, representing around 1% of the population in Colombia, and only 400 professional interpreters of Colombian Sign Language (LSC) are available in the whole country. In this data descriptor, we present a dataset with recordings of Colombian Sign Language (LSC) as an important effort to develop technologies that facilitate social inclusion and equity for the deaf community in Colombia.

Functional Electrical Stimulation and Brain-Machine Interfaces for Simultaneous Control of Wrist and Finger Flexion.

Brain-machine interface (BMI) controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a promising treatment to restore hand movements to people with cervical spinal cord injury. Recent intracortical BMIs have shown unprecedented successes in decoding user intentions, however the hand movements restored by FES have largely been limited to predetermined grasps. Restoring dexterous hand movements will require continuous control of many biomechanically linked degrees-of-freedom in the hand, such as wrist and finger flexion, that would form the basis of those movements.

A novel virtual robotic platform for controlling six degrees of freedom assistive devices with body-machine interfaces.

Body-machine interfaces (BoMIs)-systems that control assistive devices (e.g., a robotic manipulator) with a person's movements-offer a robust and non-invasive alternative to brain-machine interfaces for individuals with neurological injuries.

PERSPECTIVE: Health Economic Interests at NIMH and NIDA to Improve Delivery of Behavioral Health Services.

Background: Effective financing mechanisms are essential to ensuring that people can access and utilize effective treatments and services. Financing mechanisms are needed not only to pay for the delivery of those treatments and services, but also ancillary costs, while also keeping care affordable.

Aims: This article highlights key areas of the interest of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in supporting applied health economics and health care financing research.