Brain Machine Interface for Controlling Neuroprosthesis for Reaching and Grasping

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Neuroprostheses are devices that use bursts of low energy electrical pulses to generate muscle contractions. If the pulses are properly sequenced they can generate movements such as reaching, grasping and walking in individuals who are paralyzed. Since 2001, our team invested considerable amounts of intellectual capital to develop neuroprostheses for reaching and grasping. What differentiates our technology from other similar systems is that our neuroprostheses are not used as permanent orthoses patients need to use at all times to reach and grasp. Instead, we use neuroprosthesis as a short-term therapeutic intervention that helps stroke and spinal cord injury patients “reprogram” their central nervous system, and relearn how to reach and grasp objects on their own. We call this new way of using neuroprstheses the Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy (FEST). Following FEST and after the neuroprosthesis is removed, the patients are able to reach and grasp on their own without help from the device.