For the first time: a bionic hand - scientists in the USA have created a robotic arm that can be controlled by thought alone
Scientists in the US have created a robotic arm that can be controlled by thought alone. The arm developed at the University of Pittsburgh has a developed shoulder, elbow and gripper that acts like a palm.
Monkeys, whose hands were tied and tiny electrodes inserted into their brains, were able to move the robotic sower. According to the scientists, their work is a step towards a significant improvement in the condition of those who have lost an arm or a leg.
The team of scientists, led by Dr. Andrew Schwartz, was able to find the main paths in which the movement commands move, using an algorithm that would filter them out of the multitude of information moving through the monkeys' heads. The key filtered information was transferred to the robotic arm, which moved at his command.
Dr. Schwartz's team is currently working on developing real prostheses that are able to move by the continuous thought of the wearer, just as real hands and feet move. However, Dr. Schwartz admits that the team still faces many challenges, including the complexity of human movement and the durability of the electrodes, which currently last six months at most.
