A new brain implant allows paralyzed patients to type on virtual keyboards, achieving speeds faster than healthy individuals.
A groundbreaking brain implant has enabled two paralyzed individuals to type on a virtual keyboard by decoding their attempts to move their fingers. One participant achieved typing speeds 80% faster than a healthy individual, according to research published in Nature Neuroscience.
Unlike traditional brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that rely on eye tracking or neural activity associated with speech, researchers from Mass General Brigham and Brown University have demonstrated that using a familiar QWERTY keyboard layout can enhance user-friendliness.
“The most important thing is to have a variety of options for each patient to tailor the technology to their specific condition and situation,” stated Justin Jude, a co-author of the study.
In the study, participants simulated typing on a QWERTY keyboard, with the system effectively decoding brain impulses and recognizing up to 30 distinct actions for each finger.
The trial included two patients using a BCI device developed by Blackrock Neurotech:
- Patient T17, paralyzed below the neck due to a spinal cord injury, typed at 47 characters per minute with an accuracy of 81%.
- Patient T18, diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), reached 110 characters per minute with a 95% accuracy rate.
The stability of T18's results persisted for a week, while T17's results were stable for only two days. Jude noted that the superior performance of T18 could be linked to the greater number and strategic placement of electrodes in the brain, with T18 having six arrays implanted compared to T17's fewer contacts.
Additionally, the differences in outcomes could reflect the distinct ways tetraplegia and ALS impact brain function, despite both conditions resulting in paralysis.
Jude highlighted that advancements in decoding finger movement signals could ultimately lead to the restoration of complex hand functions, such as grasping and reaching for objects.
Future developments in accurately recognizing finger motor skills may enable patients to regain control of prosthetic devices for intricate tasks. However, significant regulatory challenges remain before this technology can be made widely accessible to patients.
Notably, in March, authorities in China approved the first neuroimplant for commercial use.
