BRAINGATE NEURALINTERFACE SYSTEM

BY www.tricksworld.net.tc

Introduction
BrainGate is a brain implant system developed by the bio-tech company Cyberkinetics in 2003 in conjunction with the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University. Purpose: The system is to help those who have lost control of their limbs, or other bodily functions, such as patients with spinal cord injury to operate various gadgets such as TV, computer ,lights, fan etc..

Scope: During paralysis the brain generates the signals but these signals do not reach the intended muscles. Hence the muscles do not react and thus no movement is observed. A solution to this problem can be a direct interaction between the brain and appliance. Thus no muscle movement is required to get the work done. The brain can directly do it. The user must only be equipped with this braingate system.

A Brief history
The braingate is the culmination of 10 years of research in the laboratory of Dr.John Donoghue, who is the chair man of the Neuroscience Department at Brown University and chief scientific officer for cyberkinetics. He studied the functioning of braingate in monkeys and proved that they were able to control a curser on a computer monitor with their thoughts. They have not only demonstrated in preclinical studies that braingate can remain safely implanted in the (monkey) brain for at least two years, but have shown that it can safely be removed as well.

Working
The braingate neural interface device is a propriety brain-computer interface that consist of an inter neural signal sensor and external processors that convert neural signals into an output signal under the users own control. The sensor consists of a tiny chip smaller than a baby aspirin, with one hundred electrode sensors each thinner than a hair that detect brain cell electrical activity.

The components in this system

The chip: A 4-millimeter square silicon chip studded 100 hair-thin microelectrodes is embedded in the primary motor cortex the region of the brain responsible for controlling movement with

The connector: When the user thinks move cursor up and down, the cortical neurons fire in a distinctive pattern: the signal is transmitted through the pedestal plug attached to the skull

 The converter: The signal travels to a shoeboxsized amplifier mounted on the users wheelchair, where its converted to optical data and bounced by fiber-optic cable to a computer. The computer: The computer translates brain activity and creates the communication output using custom decoding software.

HOW INFORMATION IS TRANSMITTED? When a work is done through any part of body then a potential difference is created in the brain. This potential difference is captured by the electrodes and is transmitted via fiber optic to the digitizer.

 The digitizer converts the signal into some 0s and 1s and that is feed into the computer. Thus a new path for propagation of brain commands from the brain to the computer via braingate are created. Now when external devices are connected to the computer ,then they work according to the thought produced in the motor cortex.

HOW DIFFICULT IS THIS SURGERY

Surgeon makes craniotomy thats the diameter of a 50-cent piece. The sensor is implanted in the region that issues command to the arms The whole surgical procedure takes two and half hour.

APPLICATION
Turn on or off the lights Control robotic arm Watch and control television Use the pc Locking or unlocking doors Motorized wheelchair

ADVANTAGES
Controlling remote devices Making and receiving telephone calls Accessing the internet.

DISADVANTAGES
Expensive Risky Surgery Not Wireless yet

FUTURE SCOPE
Current new advances include a second-generation interface software M*Power controller that will enable users to perform a wide variety of daily activities without assistances of technician. Smaller ,wireless device . The user will have an improved control of respiratory system, limb with muscle stimulation or robotics.

Conclusion
Cyberkinetics is further developing the braingate system to potentially provide movement to people with severe motor disabilities. This remarkable breakthrough offers hope that people who are paralyzed will one day be able to independently operate artificial limbs, wheelchairs. Next generation products may be able to provide an individual with the control device that allow breathing , limb movements.

Thank U..

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