2013 February 16; 381(9866): 557–564 | Jennifer L Collinger, PhD, Brian Wodlinger, PhD, John E Downey, BS, Wei Wang, PhD, Elizabeth C Tyler-Kabara, MD, Douglas J Weber, PhD, Angus JC McMorland, PhD, Meel Velliste, PhD, Michael L Boninger, MD, Andrew B Schwartz, PhD
This study demonstrates the successful use of a brain-machine interface (BMI) to control a 7-degree-of-freedom (7D) anthropomorphic prosthetic limb by an individual with tetraplegia. The participant, a 52-year-old woman with chronic tetraplegia, underwent 13 weeks of BMI training using two 96-channel intracortical microelectrode arrays implanted in her motor cortex. The training progressed from 3D endpoint translation control to 7D control of translation, orientation, and grasp. After 13 weeks, the participant demonstrated robust 7D movements, including reaching and grasping tasks, with clinically significant improvements in upper-limb function. The study highlights the potential of BMIs to restore natural and complex movements in individuals with severe paralysis, enabling them to interact more fully with their environment.This study demonstrates the successful use of a brain-machine interface (BMI) to control a 7-degree-of-freedom (7D) anthropomorphic prosthetic limb by an individual with tetraplegia. The participant, a 52-year-old woman with chronic tetraplegia, underwent 13 weeks of BMI training using two 96-channel intracortical microelectrode arrays implanted in her motor cortex. The training progressed from 3D endpoint translation control to 7D control of translation, orientation, and grasp. After 13 weeks, the participant demonstrated robust 7D movements, including reaching and grasping tasks, with clinically significant improvements in upper-limb function. The study highlights the potential of BMIs to restore natural and complex movements in individuals with severe paralysis, enabling them to interact more fully with their environment.