Monkeys Move Robotic Arms With Their Minds

[Kadie]

May 29, 2008 10:26 am US/Pacific

Monkeys Move Robotic Arms With Their Minds


(CBS) Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have taught a pair of monkeys how to feed themselves with the aid of a robotic arm. What's more amazing, the arm is controlled by the monkeys' brainpower.

It's a scientific marvel that could have tremendous potential for disabled humans: a monkey using a robotic arm to eat a marshmallow.

snip...
"The monkeys have their arms gently restrained by their sides," he said, explaining how the robotic arms function. "The shoulder is mounted right next to the monkey's own shoulder and the whole machine has the same kinds of movements as a natural arm would."

The process works like this. Every time neurons fire, they emit a slight pulse of electricity. A tiny electrode implanted in the monkey's brain picks up the current, which is in turn amplified and sent to a special computer that interprets the information and moves the robotic arm.

"So there's an array of electrodes, but they're very small - it's about half the size of a thumbtack," said Dr. Schwartz, "and they're put on the very outside of the brain and then hopefully in the next two years we'll have telemetry, so these signals will be transmitted wirelessly to an external device."

more...
http://cbs13.com/health/monkey.robot.arms.2.735704.html

[cephalexin]

1. If they hook Bush up to this gadget, the marshmallow will get shoved up his

nose.

[Kadie]

5. ROFL

Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[nichomachus]

2. I thought this was another story about Bush and the media n/t

[lpbk2713]

3. We got stuck with the wrong monkey.

This one can't even eat a pretzel right.

[Juche]

4. WooHoo, two way communication

I thought this was an older technology (old meaning a couple of years) but its back in the news for some reason.

I hope they get 2 way communication somehow. Not in the motor areas of the brain but more in other areas involved in cognition, emotions or the senses. That'd be sweet.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

6. Looks like Monkeykind has evolved beyond Bush

He must belong to some kind of throwback monkey species.

[Indenturedebtor]

7. Heheh I posted this yesterday. I guess a lot of people have me on ignore :

Psychology has been working on this for about 20 years now. I'm glad to see that we're isolating the inputs to a few neurons now though! Get ready for your brain inputs for your video games :D