-Nano and Microtechnologi science Brain-Computer-Interface
Post by Annie Svensson on November 29, 2010 at 5:07am
Neural Science
Popular ScienceParalyzed people who are able to move again. Pain relief without side-effects. Parkinson patients without debilitating shakes. These are visions that the NRC hopes to realize through research.
The NRC is a cross-disciplinary center within the area of Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) and is coordinated by Jens Schouenborg, professor in Neurophysiology. The goal is to develop a whole new generation of BMI, new electrodes which can be operated into the brain and spinal cord. The electrodes will be able to communicate without wires with an external computer and thereby supply information to and from the nerve cells. The new electrodes will be used for studies in learning mechanisms, for treatment of paralyzed patients and patients with Parkinsons disease, for controlling prostheses and for pain relief. Other areas where the technique can be used are for example auto-medicating of epilepsy, improving memory functions and bladder control.
It is our hope that patients will be able to benefit from this research within the near future, in approximately 5-10 years. The benefits for the individual will naturally be very great, but the expected social economic savings will be substantial with the new technology.
About NRCVision
To improve quality of life for disabled people and individuals with neurodegenerative disease by listening to, understanding and talking to the nervous system by means of a neuroelectronic junction.
Aim
The aim is to develop a brain-computer interface (BMI) that enables recording from and/or stimulation of neurones in animals and eventually in humans. By allowing both recordings and stimulations, direct brain – computer interactions will be possible. This will allow for groundbreaking and pioneering basic research in :
fundamental neuronal mechanisms related to learning and memory
information processing in neuronal networks
The following researchers participate in the NRC.
Faculty of Medicine:
Jens Schouenborg (Neurophysiology)
Martin Garwicz (Neurophysiology)
Nils Danielsen (Neural Interfaces)
Angela Cenci-Nilsson (Parkinson Research)
and Göran Lundborg (Hand Surgery)
Post by Annie Svensson on November 29, 2010 at 5:07am
Neural Science
Popular ScienceParalyzed people who are able to move again. Pain relief without side-effects. Parkinson patients without debilitating shakes. These are visions that the NRC hopes to realize through research.
The NRC is a cross-disciplinary center within the area of Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) and is coordinated by Jens Schouenborg, professor in Neurophysiology. The goal is to develop a whole new generation of BMI, new electrodes which can be operated into the brain and spinal cord. The electrodes will be able to communicate without wires with an external computer and thereby supply information to and from the nerve cells. The new electrodes will be used for studies in learning mechanisms, for treatment of paralyzed patients and patients with Parkinsons disease, for controlling prostheses and for pain relief. Other areas where the technique can be used are for example auto-medicating of epilepsy, improving memory functions and bladder control.
It is our hope that patients will be able to benefit from this research within the near future, in approximately 5-10 years. The benefits for the individual will naturally be very great, but the expected social economic savings will be substantial with the new technology.
About NRCVision
To improve quality of life for disabled people and individuals with neurodegenerative disease by listening to, understanding and talking to the nervous system by means of a neuroelectronic junction.
Aim
The aim is to develop a brain-computer interface (BMI) that enables recording from and/or stimulation of neurones in animals and eventually in humans. By allowing both recordings and stimulations, direct brain – computer interactions will be possible. This will allow for groundbreaking and pioneering basic research in :
fundamental neuronal mechanisms related to learning and memory
information processing in neuronal networks
The following researchers participate in the NRC.
Faculty of Medicine:
Jens Schouenborg (Neurophysiology)
Martin Garwicz (Neurophysiology)
Nils Danielsen (Neural Interfaces)
Angela Cenci-Nilsson (Parkinson Research)
and Göran Lundborg (Hand Surgery)
- Nanoelectrodes-in Swedish
Posted by Annie Svensson on November 29, 2010 at 5:17am
Soon the computers are able to speak with our nerves. Scientists in Lund (Sweden) are creating electrodes, so tiny that they can be put directly in the brain and the central neural system without any disturbance in the tissue. Like minirobots in the bloodflow.
The electrodes will show how the memory is working and hopefully will in the future be able to help and maybe cure braindamages from different traumas. The neuralsamples are grown on nanowires and tiny electrodes are made,that then put in brain or central neural system, will be able to receive and send signals wireless. Since electrical pulses are the natural way for the central neural system to communicate, the neuralcells are able to "talk" with computers outside the body. It will make it possible to see how the brain is handle all the information given. And in the future to solve problems with for instance neurological illness and chronical pain syndroms.
To start with the nanoelectrodes will be tested in brains on animals, mainly rats, to registrate the signals to computers in their natural inviorment, to see how the are developing, learning and so on, for instance the longterm memory is an interesting issue, everbody knows how hard it is to learn new tasks after too little sleep or too much alcohol, says scientist Jens Shouenborg. Since the nanoelectrodes are so tiny, even smaller than the neuralcells themself,they wouldn´t show up even in a michroscope. The receiver then could be put in the scullbone.
Also for the future there are plans on trying the nanoelectrodes on people with depressions, and then be able to stimulate the emotional parts of the brain.
Ethical question are raised, Jens Schouenborg compares the situation with when the stamcell discussion were on call, in the beginning of that sciencearea. To work with the huge power technical potential that IBM is offering, then of course the ethics must be considered.
Note: The article is from a Medical & Science newspaper, published by the Swedish Science Committé.
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