Researchers have recently combined Nano membrane electrodes with fabric head gear that can help prosthetic limbs operate using brainwaves. The discovery is great for differently abled people for multiple reasons.
Firstly, they can do away with the conventionally used messy gel which is quite a challenge to take off. Secondly, they can also do away with bulky head caps and wire system. Lat but not the least, the performance outcome is as good on a hairy head as on a shaven head. Thus, this is an improvement in electroencephalography (EEG).
About the project:
The project was a part of Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Kent and Wichita State University. And, the Nature Machine Intelligence journal carries the detailed report in it.
Explaining the crux of research, Woon-Hong Yeo, assistant professor at Georgia, stated that the report involved designing an ergonomic system. The EEG can deliver on a broad range of devices and interfaces, homes systems and neuro gaming platforms. According to Yeo, the main achievement is coming up with a whole package of an EEG monitoring system, including circuits. The high-res EEG monitoring also allows for better neural activity in the brain.
An essential part of rehabilitation technology, BMI allows patients to have better control at artificial limb movement. This includes patients of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sufferers of chronic stroke and other such disabilities. But, it is important to note here that like any other thing using Brain Machine Interface, this too needs deep learning. It is important to train the algorithm to understand accurately what the machine needs to do.
Researchers are currently using the picture method to achieve this goal as machines usually respond well to those. Also, most of these pictures currently in use are images of everyday objects. So, cats and dogs in visual form are used to analyze signals There is variability but the situation looks fixable.
