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Monkeys control robots with brain power
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-05-29 21:05 This does not mean that "neuroprosthetic robots will soon be available at the local rehabilitation clinic," cautions Kalakska, who says several barriers remain before such devices can be easily deployed. The long-term reliability of the electrodes -- about the breadth of a human hair -- must be vastly improved. "Patients will need to use this technology for many years, but the quality of the recorded neural activity often deteriorates within weeks or months," he said. Portability is also a problem. In the laboratory, the successful experiments depend on a vast array of electronic and robotic equipment under the constant supervision of a trained technician. Rendering these operations more compact and more automatic are not impossible, but will take time. Finally, without tactile sensors to provide a more complete control of the artificial appendage, it is nearly impossible for the user to gauge the force with which an object is grasped. The aim is "to pick up an object with a strong enough grip to prevent it slipping from the robotic hand, but not so strong as to crush it," Kalakska said. |
