By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Engineers Research Possibility of Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Limbs
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Technology > Medical Devices > Engineers Research Possibility of Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Limbs
Medical DevicesMedical InnovationsTechnology

Engineers Research Possibility of Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Limbs

Susan Scutti
Susan Scutti
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

prosthetic limbsThe human body is nothing less than an astounding biological machine, and each movement is thought to require separate preparation and execution steps.

prosthetic limbsThe human body is nothing less than an astounding biological machine, and each movement is thought to require separate preparation and execution steps. To better understand how the neurons in our brains control planned versus unplanned arm movements, researchers recorded and analyzed the brain activity of monkeys as they performed both anticipated and unanticipated reaching motions. “In addition to advancing basic brain science, these new findings will lead to better brain-controlled prosthetic arms and communication systems for people with paralysis,” said Dr. Krishna Shenoy, a Stanford University professor of electrical engineering. The new paper, complete with experimental design and mathematical analysis, appears Wednesday in the journal Neuron.

Variations on a Theme

In a series of three studies investigating a common theme, monkeys were trained to touch a target that appeared on a display screen. As the monkeys made their motions, the researchers measured the electrical activity of neurons in the brain that control motor and premotor functions. The idea was to observe and understand the activity levels of these neurons during experiments in which the monkeys made planned or reactive arm movements. In the first set of experiments, researches trained the monkeys not to touch a target until they received a “go” signal; these delayed reach experiments served to demonstrate planned action. In a second set of experiments, the researchers trained the monkeys to touch the target as soon as it appeared; these served to demonstrate unplanned action. In a third and final set of experiments, the researchers changed the target’s position so that briefly it appeared in one location on the screen and then reappeared in a different location; these experiments required the monkeys to revise their planned actions.

What did the researchers discover after observing the data from all experiments?

“Perception always occurred first,” said Katherine Cora Ames, a doctoral student in Stanford’s Neurosciences Graduate Program. She further explained that the first information to reach the neurons, no matter the experiment, was awareness of the target and then, about 50 milliseconds later, what transpired in the brain next depended on the circumstance.

When the monkeys knew what arm movement they were supposed to make and were simply waiting for the cue to act, electrical readings showed that the neurons went into what scientists call the prepare-and-hold state. When the monkeys did not know what to expect, their neurons behaved differently. About 50 milliseconds after showing evidence of perception, the neurons issued the command to act without first entering a prepare-and-hold state. “Ready, set” was unnecessary — the neurons simply said, “Go!”

“This study changes our view of how movement is controlled,” Ames stated in a press release. As part of Shenoy’s lab, she works to develop and improve electronic systems that can convert neural activity into electronic signals in order to control a prosthetic arm or move the cursor on a computer screen. An increasingly nuanced understanding of movement, as the research team established through these series of experiments, as well as a further exploration of brain-machine interface will help advance the development of next-generation prosthetic limbs and other neurally controlled devices.

 

Source: Shenoy K, Ames KC, Ryu SI. Neural Dynamics of Reaching following Incorrect or Absent Motor Preparation. Neuron. 2014.

(shutterstock)

TAGGED:prosthetics
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

BusinessHospital AdministrationMedical InnovationsNewsPolicy & LawTechnology

Healthcare: Survival of The Fittest

February 17, 2012
Healthcare and Lifesciences
Health careTechnology

Healthcare and Lifesciences Predictions for 2020

January 5, 2018
Technology

Enhance FO Operational Efficiency In Healthcare And BI Reports

April 13, 2020
chemotherapy
Medical InnovationsSpecialtiesTechnology

Cancer Immunotherapy: Combination Therapy May Be the “Way of the Future”

December 6, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?