Optimal feedback control of a neuromotor interface

对于脊髓损伤引起的运动系统损伤所导致的永久性残疾，目前还没有有效的治疗方法，其中上肢疾病尤其具有毁灭性。神经运动假肢这一新兴领域旨在通过使用直接来自大脑的信号来控制电脑、轮椅和其他外部设备，从而恢复瘫痪患者的功能。在正常运动过程中，运动皮层神经元的放电受到调节，为肌肉提供适当的驱动。大脑控制接口解码这些神经元的活动，以确定移动辅助设备的控制信号。然而，在这种方法能够产生有用的临床应用之前，这些接口的性能必须得到改善。特别是，单个神经元活动的可变性导致控制错误，这些错误只能通过视觉反馈缓慢地纠正。近年来，一个复杂的理论研究机构描述了大脑使用的策略，以尽量减少这种变化的后果，从而优化自然运动的准确性。这使我们对……的重要性有了新的认识。反馈循环?把信号传递回大脑吗？S电机控制系统。本项目旨在应用这些原则来设计改进的接口，利用类似的机制来最小化可变性对相关输出信号的影响。一种联合实验方法将使用非侵入性技术来研究正常人的神经运动界面操作，以及猕猴的相关任务。猴子实验将使用植入大脑运动区域的电极来控制电脑光标。植入手术将在无菌条件下进行，在全身麻醉下进行，就像常规用于人类手术一样，猴子将被给予术后镇痛药。植入大脑的电极不会引起疼痛，成千上万的人类患者从深部脑刺激电极治疗帕金森病中获益就是证据。年代的疾病。永久性植入电极的使用最大限度地减少了每只动物参与这些试验所需的约束。实验的某些部分将在动物的自然运动中进行。S家居环境中使用微型可穿戴电子设备。实验结果将用于开发解码大脑活动的新方法，然后将其与现有方法进行比较。如果成功，改进的脑控接口技术，结合相关项目中正在开发的新电极技术，可以恢复大量脊髓损伤患者的功能。

No effective treatments currently exist for the permanent disabilities caused by damage to the motor system by spinal cord injuries, among which upper-limb disorders can be especially devastating. The emerging field of neuromotor prosthetics aims to restore function to paralysed patients by using signals derived directly from the brain to control computers, wheelchairs and other external devices. During normal movement, the discharge of motor cortex neurons is modulated to provide the appropriate drive to muscles. A Brain-Controlled Interface decodes the activity of these neurons to determine control signals that move assistive devices. However, performance of these interfaces must be improved before this approach can yield useful clinical applications. In particular, variability in the activity of individual neurons causes control errors that are only corrected slowly through visual feedback. In recent years, a sophisticated body of theoretical work has described strategies that the brain uses to minimise the consequences of this variability and thus optimise the accuracy of natural movements. This has led to a new understanding of the importance of ?feedback loops? that relay output signals back into the brain?s motor control system. This project aims to apply these principles to design improved interfaces that exploit similar mechanisms for minimising the influence of variability on relevant output signals.A combined experimental approach will use non-invasive techniques to study operation of neuromotor interfaces by normal human subjects, and related tasks performed by macaque monkeys. The monkey experiments will use electrodes that are implanted in motor areas of the brain to control a computer cursor. Implant surgeries will be performed in sterile conditions under general anaesthesia as is routinely used for human surgery and monkeys will be given post-operative analgesics. Electrodes implanted in the brain do not cause pain, as evidenced by the thousands of human patients who have benefited from Deep Brain Stimulation electrodes for Parkinson?s Disease. The use of permanently implanted electrodes minimises the amount of restraint that is required for each animal to participate in these tests. Some sections of the experiment will be performed during natural movements in the animal?s home environment using a miniature wearable electronic device.Experimental results will be applied to the development of new methods to decode brain activity, which will then be compared against existing approaches. If successful, improved Brain-Controlled Interface techniques, in combination with new electrode technologies being developed in related projects, could restore function to a large population of patients with spinal cord injuries.