New dimensions added to robotic arm controlled by thoughts

Thanks to research conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, Jan Scheuermann, who has longstanding quadriplegia and has been taking part in the study for over two years, has gone from giving “high fives” to the “thumbs-up” gesture after increasing the manoeuvrability of the robotic arm from seven dimensions (7D) to 10 dimensions (10D).

The extra dimensions come from four hand movements - finger abduction, a scoop, thumb extension and a pinch - and have enabled Scheuermann to pick up, grasp and move a range of objects much more precisely than with the previous 7D control.

It is hoped that these latest results, which have been published in the Journal of Neural Engineering, can build on previous demonstrations and eventually allow robotic arms to restore natural arm and hand movements in people with upper limb paralysis.

Scheuermann Scheuermann, 55, from Pittsburgh, PA had been paralysed from the neck down since 2003 due to a neurodegenerative condition. After her eligibility for a research study was confirmed in 2012, Scheuermann underwent surgery to be fitted with two quarter-inch electrode grids, each fitted with 96 contact points, in the regions of Scheuermann’s brain that were responsible for right arm and hand movements.