Advanced Robotic Arm Controlled by Monkey’s Thoughts

June 4, 2010 | Source: PhysOrg.com

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have taught a monkey to use its thoughts to control an advanced robotic arm with seven degrees of freedom and perform elaborate and precise maneuvers with it.

Sensors implanted in the hand and arm areas of its motor cortex send data to a computer that translates the patterns into commands that control the robotic arm.

Researchers hope to one day be able to use the research to engineer and operate advanced prosthetics in a natural way to help paralyzed people live a close to normal life.