Technology is on its way with great speed to amaze and facilitate us every day. Now presenting the Brain-controlled robotic suit which enabled a tetraplegic man named Thibault to move by all his four paralyzed limbs. Thibault from Lyon, France, got paralyzed after falling from 40 feet balcony, he got sever injury in spinal cord and shoulders as per reporters of AFP news agency. With treatments, he recovered up to a certain extent and got capable of operating his wheelchair by using the joystick as he had some movement in biceps and left wrist.
Thibault increases the movements by training the algorithm within two years. Recording devices were implanted between the brain and skin on both sides of Thibault’s head, to span over the sensorimotor cortex; this involves in motor function and sensation control. The Researcher team of biomedical research center Clinatec, University of Grenoble, France, and the CEA research center, told media.
The robotic exoskeleton was commanded by collecting man’s brain signals via electrode grids and transmitting it to a decoding algorithm, for translating signals into movements. Within two years, Thibault succeeds in controlling a virtual character and enables it to move and sense 2D and 3D objects within a video game. Before using the exoskeleton, he continues his practice on virtual simulation, avatar and eventually enabled himself to move for about 480 steps, as reported in The Lancet Neurology journal. Thibault addressed AFP:
I can’t go home tomorrow to my exoskeleton, but I’ve got to a point where I can walk. I walk when I want, and I stop when I want.
A neurosurgeon from Grenoble University Hospital, Professor Stephan Chabardes said that;
“Our findings could move us a step closer to help tetraplegic patients to drive computers using brain signals alone, perhaps starting with driving wheelchairs using brain activity instead of joysticks and progressing to developing an exoskeleton for increased mobility.”
We further aim to enable the patients to walk and maintain their positions without using any external support system, and trails are in process on three more patients. We hope for better results.
Link to similar posts: https://scientiamag.org/artificial-intelligence-genie-in-a-bottle/
Iqra Bibi is BS BIOCHEMISTRY student at Quaid e Azam University. She is serving YOLO as an academic Secretary and Also part of the event management team of various non-profit organizations. She loves to write Urdu poetry and work for its promotion through her Youtube channel “Harf e Junoon”. Her hobbies include novels and book reading.
