Reading Minds with Ultrasound: Less-Invasive Technique for Brain's Intentions (2021)
6 hours ago
- #functional ultrasound
- #brain-machine interface
- #neuroscience research
- Neuroscientists aim to map brain activity to behaviors for brain–machine interfaces (BMIs), which interpret neural signals to control external devices like robotic arms for paralyzed individuals.
- A key limitation is that current BMIs require invasive brain surgery, but Caltech researchers developed a minimally invasive BMI using functional ultrasound (fUS) technology.
- fUS measures brain activity with high resolution (100 micrometers) by detecting changes in blood flow, allowing decoding of movement intentions without damaging brain tissue.
- The technology was tested on non-human primates, accurately predicting planned movements (e.g., eye or arm direction) using machine learning algorithms trained on fUS data.
- fUS offers advantages over other methods: less invasive than implanted electrodes, more sensitive and higher resolution than fMRI, and capable of non-invasive signal penetration through the skull.
- Future plans include human trials with traumatic brain injury patients who have skull openings, potentially expanding access to high-performance, less invasive BMIs.