25-03-2011, 02:33 PM
BRAINGATE
ABSTRACT FOR BRAINGATE:
BrainGate is a brain implant system developed by the bio-tech company Cyberkinetics in 2003 in conjunction with the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University.The system is to help those who have lost control of their limbs, or other bodily functions, such as patients with spinal cord injury to operate various gadgets such as TV, computer ,lights, fan etc.. During paralysis the brain generates the signals but these signals do not reach the intended muscles. Hence the muscles do not react and thus no movement is observed. A solution to this problem can be a direct interaction between the brain and appliance. Thus no muscle movement is required to get the work done. The brain can directly do it. The user must only be equipped with this braingate system.
The braingate is the culmination of 10 years of research in the laboratory of Dr.John Donoghue, who is the chair man of the Neuroscience Department at Brown University and chief scientific officer for cyberkinetics. He studied the functioning of braingate in monkeys and proved that they were able to control a curser on a computer monitor with their thoughts.
They have not only demonstrated in preclinical studies that braingate can remain safely implanted in the (monkey) brain for at least two years, but have shown that it can safely be removed as well.