Brain-Machine Interface Helps Man With Paralysis Feed Himself Using Robotic Arms

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Engadget: Johns Hopkins University-led researchers have developed a new technique that let a partially paralyzed man feed himself using robotic arms connected through a brain-machine interface. He only had to make small movements with his fists at certain prompts (such as 'select cut location') to have the fork- and knife-equipped arms cut food and bring it to his mouth. He could have dessert within 90 seconds, according to the researchers. The new method centers on a shared control system that minimizes the amount of mental input required to complete a task. He could map his four-degree freedom of movement (two for each hand) to as many as 12 degrees of freedom for controlling the robot arms. The limbs' prompt-based intelligent responses also reduced the workload. The researchers 'want to add touch-like sensor feedback instead of relying exclusively on visuals,' the report says. 'They also hope to improve the accuracy and efficiency while reducing the need for visual confirmation.'

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