Brain-Computer Interface Control of Ambulation

脑机接口行走控制

• 批准号: 1160200
• 负责人: Zoran Nenadic
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: University of California-Irvine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1160200&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Brain; Computer; Interface; Control; Ambulation

PI: NenadicProposal Number: 1160200Problem Statement: Individuals with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury (SCI) are unable to ambulate. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the lower extremities is one of the technologies with which ambulation can be partially restored. Current FES technology requires manual operation by the user, which is unintuitive, and monopolizes the upper extremities and interferes with their motor function. Brain-computer interface (BCI), on the other hand, is a technology that enables a direct cortical control of external devices, without generating any motor output. Research Plan: The main goal of this study is to integrate the technology of electro-encephalogram (EEG) based BCI with noninvasive FES of the lower extremities to restore intuitive, hands-free ambulation in individuals with complete paraplegia due to SCI. SCI subjects will be trained to utilize gait-related kinesthetic motor imagery (i.e. imagination of movement) to operate a BCI-controlled virtual reality gait simulator. The subjects will also be trained to ambulate with a commercial FES system. Subsequently, subjects' EEG data will be collected while they are engaged in ambulation with the FES system and the parameters critical for integration of BCI and FES systems will be determined. Finally, the two systems will be integrated, and the effectiveness of the integrated BCI-FES system will be tested in these subjects while they perform a goal-oriented ambulation task. Novelty: 1) The integration of an EEG-based BCI with limb prostheses has undergone limited research, and has not been achieved with lower extremity FES systems for walking. 2) The study requires a novel neurophysiological experimental paradigm, including novel signal processing and active-electrode recording methods, to enable acquisition of artifact-free, ambulatory EEG data. 3) These data will provide novel information about the neurophysiological processes underlying imagination and execution of ambulation in SCI. 4) A successfully integrated BCI-FES system will shift the focus of neuro-rehabilitation of this population from utilizing spared motor pathways to functional restoration. 5) This concept can be extended to future studies with much larger target domain, including subjects with stroke, multiple sclerosis, and incomplete SCI, as a novel tool to promote plasticity and neural repair and subsequent functional gains.Intellectual Merit: The proposed experimental, engineering and scientific techniques will provide a blueprint for future BCI-prosthesis integration studies. The proposed study will lead to the deployment and development of novel signal processing and control algorithms for BCI-prosthesis integration. Aside from BCI applications, the analysis of data collected in this study will delineate the general cortical areas involved in control of both executed and imagined gait, which will fundamentally advance our knowledge of cortical control of ambulation and the changes it undergoes due to SCI. The unique features of the integrated BCI-FES system and its long-term use will be instrumental to addressing scientific questions such as the emergence of the "BCI motor cortex," and may in the future facilitate development of novel treatments that utilize neural repair and plasticity, such as cellular therapies. Finally, the success of the proposed project may invigorate studies to refine FES technology and may inspire integration of BCIs with other forms of functional electrostimulation, such as spinal cord stimulation in rehabilitation of the target population.Broader Impacts: The proposed activities will enhance the education, scientific literacy, and lifelong learning in engineering and medical students. Specifically, elements of this study will be integrated into the teaching and mentoring curricula. Both undergraduate and graduate students will participate in the proposed research and educational plans and their findings will be broadly disseminated, including outreach to the disabled community. These activities will help develop students' leadership and interdisciplinary research skills. They will also broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in engineering and science. The investigators will promote college education and the pursuit of engineering/science careers in minority K-12 and community-college students by developing educational activities such as presentations, demonstrations and exhibits. Finally, the investigators will partake in the professional development of K-12 math and science teachers in high-need school districts in order to improve their retention rates and leadership skills.

PI：NenadicProposal number：1160200问题说明：因脊髓损伤(SCI)而导致截瘫的患者无法行走。功能电刺激(FES)是部分恢复步行功能的技术之一。目前的FES技术需要用户手动操作，这不直观，并且垄断了上肢，干扰了他们的运动功能。另一方面，脑机接口(BCI)是一种允许对外部设备进行直接皮质控制的技术，而不会产生任何运动输出。研究计划：本研究的主要目标是将基于脑电(EEG)的脑机接口技术与非侵入性的肢体功能电刺激相结合，以恢复因脊髓损伤而导致的完全性截瘫患者的直观、免提行走功能。SCI受试者将接受训练，利用与步态相关的动觉运动想象(即对运动的想象)来操作BCI控制的虚拟现实步态模拟器。受试者还将接受使用商用FES系统进行行走的培训。随后，将收集受试者与FES系统进行移动时的脑电数据，并确定对BCI和FES系统集成至关重要的参数。最后，这两个系统将被整合，整合的BCI-FES系统的有效性将在这些受试者执行面向目标的行走任务时进行测试。新颖性：1)基于脑电的脑机接口与假肢的集成已经经历了有限的研究，还没有用用于行走的下肢FES系统来实现。2)这项研究需要一种新的神经生理学实验范式，包括新的信号处理和有源电极记录方法，以便能够获取无伪影的动态脑电数据。3)这些数据将为脊髓损伤中想象和执行行走的神经生理学过程提供新的信息。4)成功整合的BCI-FES系统将把这一人群神经康复的重点从利用备用的运动通路转移到功能恢复上来。5)这一概念可以扩展到未来具有更大靶域的研究中，包括中风、多发性硬化症和不完全脊髓损伤的受试者，作为促进可塑性和神经修复以及随后的功能收益的新工具。智力优势：所提出的实验、工程和科学技术将为未来脑机接口-假体集成研究提供蓝图。这项拟议的研究将导致部署和开发用于脑机接口假体集成的新的信号处理和控制算法。除了脑机接口的应用，这项研究中收集的数据的分析将描绘出控制执行步态和想象步态的大脑皮层区域，这将从根本上促进我们对大脑皮质对行走的控制以及由于脊髓损伤而经历的变化的了解。集成的BCI-FES系统的独特功能及其长期使用将有助于解决诸如“BCI运动皮质”的出现等科学问题，并可能在未来促进利用神经修复和可塑性的新型治疗方法的开发，如细胞疗法。最后，拟议项目的成功可能会促进完善FES技术的研究，并可能激励BCI与其他形式的功能性电刺激的整合，例如在目标人群康复中的脊髓刺激。广泛影响：拟议的活动将提高工程学和医学生的教育、科学素养和终身学习。具体地说，这项研究的内容将纳入教学和辅导课程。本科生和研究生都将参与拟议的研究和教育计划，他们的研究结果将广泛传播，包括向残疾人社区宣传。这些活动将有助于培养学生的领导力和跨学科研究技能。它们还将扩大未被充分代表的群体在工程和科学领域的参与。调查人员将通过开展演讲、演示和展览等教育活动，促进K-12少数族裔和社区大学生的大学教育和对工程/科学职业的追求。最后，调查人员将参与高需求学区K-12数学和科学教师的专业发展，以提高他们的保留率和领导技能。