Special Issue - 2015 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)

ISSN: 2278-0181
NSRCL-2015 Conference Proceedings

Brain Gate Technology

Sandra V A1 Devika Ramgopal2
Computer Science, Computer Science,
Vimala College, Vimala College,
Thrissur, India Thrissur, India

Abstract - The mind-to-movement system that concedes a II. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE BEHIND BRAIN
paraplegic man to control a computer using only his thoughts GATE SYSTEM
is a scientific milestone. This landmark can be accomplished
to a great extend through Brain Gate technology. The Brain The system consists of a “sensor” (a device implanted in
system has become a boon to the paralyzed. The Brain Gate
the brain that records signals directly related to imagined
System is based on Cyberkinetics platform technology to
sense, transmit, analyze and apply the language of neurons. limb movement); a “decoder” (a set of computers and
The principle of operation behind the Brain Gate System is embedded software that turns the brain signals into a
that intact brain function, brain signals are generated even useful command for an external device); and, the external
though they are not sent to the arms, hands and legs. The device – which could be a standard computer desktop or
signals are interpreted and translated into cursor movements, other communication device, a powered wheelchair, a
offering the user an alternate Brain Gate pathway to control prosthetic or robotic limb, or, in the future, a functional
a computer with thought, just as individuals who have the electrical stimulation device that can move paralyzed limbs
ability to move their hands use a mouse. directly. Following are the hardware components used in
Brain Gate System:
Index words - Brain Gate, Cyberkinetics, Brain Computer
Interface, EEG
 THE CHIP
I. INTRODUCTION  THE CONNECTOR
 THE CONVERTER AND
Our human brain is still an area to be explored. It is still a
mystery how it works and how well we can use it. It is a  THE COMPUTER
known fact that all of us are not exploiting the complete
potentiality of our brain. With the endorsement of A. The Chip
technology we can use our brain substantially in the field
of communication. Brain is the region where all thoughts A 4-millimeter square silicon chip studded with 100 hair-
are born. Most of us have a problem to deliver those thin, microelectrodes is embedded in brain primary motor
thoughts to others. Some people suffer from motor cortex. The chip, about the size of a baby aspirin, contains
impairment which is the partial or total loss of function of 100 electrode sensors, each thinner than a human hair. The
a body part. This may result in muscle weakness, poor sensors detect tiny electrical signals generated when a user
stamina, lack of muscle control, or total paralysis. These imagines. Though paralyzed, a quadriplegic still has the
are often stroke victims whose perfectly healthy minds end ability to generate such signals -- they just don't get past
up trapped inside bodies that are immobile. Artificial the damaged portion of the spinal cord. With Brain Gate,
limbs, wheel chair and other such devices serve as a boon the signals travel through a wire that comes out of the skull
to motor impaired patients. Unfortunately they do not work and connects to a computer. Brain Gate uses technology
as per the patients’ wish. The patients have to rely on similar to cochlear implants that help deaf people hear.
others’ help for the working of such equipments. This B. The Connector
clearly indicates the absence of a system for transmitting It is attached firmly to the skull of the patient and it passes
their thoughts into desired action. It is here that the the signals received by the chip to the converter. Most
technology called “Brain Gate” comes into action. By handicapped people are satisfied if they can get a
using this idea presented in this paper we can solve all the rudimentary connection to the outside world. Brain Gate
above stated situations with ease. enables them to achieve far more than that. By controlling
the computer cursor, patients can access Internet
information, TV entertainment, and control lights and
appliances – with just their thoughts.

Volume 3, Issue 28 Published by, www.ijert.org 1

Special Issue - 2015 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
NSRCL-2015 Conference Proceedings

C. The Converter from each other and improve the overall

performance.
The signal travels to a shoebox-sized amplifier where it's
converted to Digital data and bounced by fiber-optic cable
B.Control
to a computer.
The final part consists of applying the will of the user to
D. Neuroprosthetic Device
the used application. The user chooses an action by
A neuroprosthetic device known as Brain gate converts controlling his brain activity, which is then detected and
brain activity into computer commands. A sensor is classified to corresponding action. Feedback is provided to
implanted on the brain, and electrodes are hooked up to user by audio-visual means e.g. when typing with virtual
wires that travel to a pedestal on the scalp. From there, a keyboard, letter appears to the message box etc.
fiber optic cable carries the brain activity data to a nearby C. Training
computer.
The training is the part where the user adapts to the BCI
E. Brain Computer Interface (BCI)
system. This training begins with very simple exercises
Brain Gate learns to associate patterns of brain activity where the user is familiarized with mental activity which is
with particular imagined movements - up, down, left, right used to relay the information to the computer.
- and to connect those movements to a cursor. A brain- D. Bio-Feedback
computer interface uses electrophysiological signals to
The definition of the biofeedback is biological information
control remote devices[4]. They consist of electrodes
which is returned to the source that created it, so that
applied to the scalp of an individual. These electrodes pick
source can understand it and have control over it. This
up the signals and carry it into amplifier that amplify the
biofeedback in BCI systems is usually provided visually,
signal approximately ten thousand times and then pass the
e.g. the user sees cursor moving up or down or letter being
signal via an analog to digital converter to a computer for
selected from the alphabet.
processing. The computer processes the
Electroencephalography (EEG) [5] signal and uses it in
IV. RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
order to accomplish tasks such as communication and
environmental control. BCIs are slow in comparison with
normal human actions, because of the complexity and The initial clinical trial of Brain Gate, led by researchers at
noisiness of the signals used, as well as the time necessary Massachusetts General Hospital, Brown University, and
to complete recognition and signal processing. the Department of Veterans Affairs, ran from 2004 to 2006
Software behind Brain Gate System uses algorithms and and studied four patients with tetraplegia[6]. The results
pattern-matching techniques to facilitate communication. showed that a human with tetraplegia was able to control a
The algorithms are written in C, JAVA and MATLAB. . cursor on a computer screen just by thinking, enabling him
Signal processing software algorithms analyze the to open emails, and to operate devices such as a
electrical activity of neurons and translate it into control television[7]. One participant, Matt Nagle, had a spinal
signals for use in various computer-based applications. cord injury, whilst another had advanced ALS. In July
2009, a second clinical trial (dubbed "BrainGate2") was
III. WORKING OF BRAIN GATE initiated. In May 2012, Brain Gate researchers published a
study in Nature[8]demonstrating that two people paralyzed
A. Detection by brainstem stroke several years earlier were able to
control robotic arms for reaching and grasping.Since 2009,
The detection of the input from the user and them clinical trials are being conducted under the name
translating it into an action could be considered as "BrainGate2 Neural Interface System”. As of October 14,
key part of any BCI system. This detection means 2014, Stanford University, Massachusetts General
to try to find out these mental tasks from the EEG Hospital, Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) and
signal. It can be done in time-domain, e.g. by Providence VA Medical Center are actively recruiting
comparing amplitudes of the EEG and in participants for the ongoing BrainGate2 clinical trial.
frequency-domain. This involves usually digital
signal processing for sampling and band pass V. ADVANTAGES
filtering the signal, then calculating these time -or
frequency domain features and then classifying
The Brain Gate technology requires very minimal and
them. These classification algorithms include
simple training for its functioning. One of the amazing
simple comparison of amplitudes linear and non-
things about this system is that the patients can
linear equations and artificial neural networks. By
communicate by thinking of what they want to say and
constant feedback from user to the system and then it is translated through text or a robotic voice and
vice versa, both partners gradually learn more works almost 100% of the time. (within 60 Minutes)

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Special Issue - 2015 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
NSRCL-2015 Conference Proceedings

The user’s ability to operate the device is not affected by smaller and wireless. This solves the issue of portability.
their speech, eye movements or noise. Therefore it can be Moreover the user will have an improved control of
used in an interactive environment and doesn’t require the respiratory system, limb with muscle stimulation or
person using the device to talk or have their actions robotics. The goal of this development program would be
affected by noise around them. It is expected that people to allow these individuals to one day use their own arms
using the Brain Gate System will employ a personal and hands again. Limb movement developments are
computer as the gateway to a range of self-directed currently at the research stage and are not available for use
activities. These activities may extend beyond typical with the existing Brain Gate System. In addition, products
computer functions (e.g., communication) to include the are in development to allow for robotic control, such as a
control of objects in the environment such as a telephone, a thought-controlled wheelchair. In the future, the Brain
television and lights. Gate System could be used by those individuals whose
injuries are less severe. Next generation products may be
VI. DISADVANTAGES able to provide an individual with the ability to control
devices that allow breathing, bladder and bowel
As of now the technology still craves for the device to be movements. Currently The Brain Gate Neural Interface
physically implanted in the person’s brain. We could use System is an investigational device and is not approved for
the electronic magnetic cap without the need for a chip to sale. However it is available through a clinical study.
be surgically implanted in the brain, but it does not work Although Brain Gate being developed by The Brain Gate
nearly as well. Although the chip is extremely small, it still Company and other Brain Computer Interface are still in
means surgery on the brain, which is always risky and can the early stages, they indicate future directions for what is
be dangerous. possible[9].

At this time the Brain gate technology is not wireless so it CONCLUSION

requires a plug to be plugged into the top of their head.
Therefore this technology is not yet mobile, it restricts the The concept of mobile robots or prosthetic devices not by
person to be in the area of the device. manual control, but by mere “thinking” (i.e., the brain
activity of human subjects) has been a fascinated approach.
Medical cures are unavailable for many forms of neural
Even though this technology allows the person to and muscular paralysis. The enormity of the deficits
communicate with people using his/her thoughts, the caused by paralysis is a strong motivation to pursue BMI
process is still very slow and takes a very long time. The solutions. So this idea helps many patients to control the
person must think of each letter individually which is prosthetic devices of their own by simply thinking about
translated into text or voice. The losers might be the people the task.
who have to fund this project because it is extremely Medical cures are unavailable for many forms of neural
expensive and advanced technology. The Brain Gate and muscular paralysis. The enormity of the deficits
technology is not yet available for people to buy in the caused by paralysis is a strong motivation to pursue BMI
market, but they estimate that the technology will cost solutions. So this idea helps many patients to control the
hundreds of thousands of dollars. prosthetic devices of their own by simply thinking about
the task.
VII. OTHER APPLICATIONS Cyberkinetics hopes to refine the Brain Gate in the next
two years to develop a wireless device that is completely
Brain gate technology can be used for controlling remote implantable and doesn’t have a plug, making it safer and
devices. This system can be used for making and receiving less visible. And once the basics of brain mapping are
telephone calls and accessing the internet. Control over the worked out there is potential for a wide variety of further
robotic arm is another widely used application of the applications. This technology is well supported by the
system. It helps the motor impaired patients to watch and latest fields of biomedical instrumentation, micro-
control television, use the pc, locking or unlocking doors. electronics; signal processing, Artificial Neural Networks
It assists them to use their motorized wheelchair without and Robotics which has overwhelming developments.
any external help. Hope these systems will be effectively implemented for
many biomedical applications.
VIII. FURTHER SCOPE
REFERENCES
Brain gate technology’s scope includes a second-
[1] http://www.cyberkinetics.com/what_is_braingate.html
generation interface software M*Power controller that will [2] www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html
enable users to perform a wide variety of daily activities [3] https://books.google.co.in/books?id=V9hTj2vY5IoC&pg=PT26&dq
without assistances of technician. The system can be made =brain+gate+technologybrain%20gate%20technology&f=false

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Special Issue - 2015 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
NSRCL-2015 Conference Proceedings

[4] www.nlm.nih.gov › Home › Medical Encyclopedia

[5] www.slideshare.net/sridhargoud12/brain-gate-systemdocument
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraplegia
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrainGate
[8] Hochberg, L.R., Serruya, M.D., Friehs, G.M., Mukand, J.A., Saleh,
M., Caplan, A.H., Branner, A., Chen, D., Penn, R.D., Donoghue,
J.P.: Neuronal ensemble control of prosthetic devices by a human
with tetraplegia. Nature 442, 164–171(2006)
[9] The Future of Healthcare: It's Health, Then Care by Frances J.
Turisco

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