Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Bionics”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

A high-performance brain-computer interface.

Recent studies have demonstrated that monkeys and humans can use signals from the brain to guide computer cursors. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) may one day assist patients suffering from neurological injury or disease, but relatively low system performance remains a major obstacle. In fact, the speed and accuracy with which keys can be selected using BCIs is still far lower than for systems relying on eye movements. This is true whether BCIs use recordings from populations of individual neurons using invasive electrode techniques or electroencephalogram recordings using less- or non-invasive techniques. Here we present the design and demonstration, using electrode arrays implanted in monkey dorsal premotor cortex, of a manyfold higher performance BCI than previously reported. These results indicate that a fast and accurate key selection system, capable of operating with a range of keyboard sizes, is possible (up to 6.5 bits per second, or approximately 15 words per minute, with 96 electrodes). The highest information throughput is achieved with unprecedentedly brief neural recordings, even as recording quality degrades over time. These performance results and their implications for system design should substantially increase the clinical viability of BCIs in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Neuronal ensemble control of prosthetic devices by a human with tetraplegia.

Neuromotor prostheses (NMPs) aim to replace or restore lost motor functions in paralysed humans by routeing movement-related signals from the brain, around damaged parts of the nervous system, to external effectors. To translate preclinical results from intact animals to a clinically useful NMP, movement signals must persist in cortex after spinal cord injury and be engaged by movement intent when sensory inputs and limb movement are long absent. Furthermore, NMPs would require that intention-driven neuronal activity be converted into a control signal that enables useful tasks. Here we show initial results for a tetraplegic human (MN) using a pilot NMP. Neuronal ensemble activity recorded through a 96-microelectrode array implanted in primary motor cortex demonstrated that intended hand motion modulates cortical spiking patterns three years after spinal cord injury. Decoders were created, providing a 'neural cursor' with which MN opened simulated e-mail and operated devices such as a television, even while conversing. Furthermore, MN used neural control to open and close a prosthetic hand, and perform rudimentary actions with a multi-jointed robotic arm. These early results suggest that NMPs based upon intracortical neuronal ensemble spiking activity could provide a valuable new neurotechnology to restore independence for humans with paralysis.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

A comparison between friction and frictionless mechanics with a new typodont simulation system.

This study was designed to explore the differences between friction and frictionless mechanics for maxillary canine retraction with the use of a new typodont simulation system, the Calorific machine system. The unit was designed to observe the whole process of tooth movement and is composed of 3 parts: a temperature regulating system, electrothermodynamic teeth, and an artificial alveolar bone component. The efficiency of maxillary canine retraction was compared with the sliding mechanics (along a.016 x.022-in stainless steel labial arch and nickel-titanium closed coil spring) and a canine retraction spring. The patterns of tooth movement obtained with both of these mechanics were measured 5 times each. Friction mechanics were superior to frictionless mechanics in terms of rotational control and dimensional maintenance of the arch (P <.0001); frictionless mechanics were shown to be more effective at reducing tipping and extrusion (P <.0001). However, the observed differences between the 2 methods were relatively small in terms of their clinical significance, and no differences were found in anchorage control (P =.2078). In conclusion, this study indicated that friction and frictionless mechanics perform similarly.

Alveolar Process↗
PubMed2000

Neuroprosthetic applications of electrical stimulation.

Neural prostheses are a developing technology that use electrical activation of the nervous system to restore function to individuals with neurological impairment. Neural prostheses function by electrical initiation of action potentials in nerve fibers that carry the signal to an endpoint where chemical neurotransmitters are released, either to affect an end organ or another neuron. Thus, in principle, any end organ under neural control is a candidate for neural prosthetic control. Applications have included stimulation in both the sensory and motor systems and range in scope from experimental trials with single individuals to commercially available devices. Outcomes of motor system neural prostheses include restoration of hand grasp and release in quadriplegia, restoration of standing and stepping in paraplegia, restoration of bladder function (continence, micturition) following spinal cord injury, and electrophrenic respiration in high-level quadriplegia. Neural prostheses restore function and provide greater independence to individuals with disability.

Bionics↗
PubMed2000

Reduction of costs of disability using neuroprostheses.

The lifetime costs associated with spinal cord injury are substantial. Assistive technology that reduces complications, increases independence, or decreases the need for attendant services can provide economic as well as medical or functional benefit. This study describes two approaches for estimating the economic consequences of implanted neuroprostheses utilizing functional electrical stimulation. Life care plan analysis was used to estimate the costs of bladder and bowel care with and without a device restoring bladder and bowel function and to compare these with the costs of implementing the device. For a neuroprosthesis restoring hand grasp, the costs of implementation were compared to the potential savings in attendant care costs that could be achieved by the use of the device. The results indicate that the costs of implementing the bladder and bowel system would be recovered in 5 years, primarily from reduced costs of supplies, medications, and procedures. The costs of the hand grasp neuroprosthesis would be recovered over the lifetime of the user if attendant time was reduced only 2 hours per day and in a shorter time if attendant care was further reduced. Neither analysis includes valuation of the quality of life, which is further enhanced by the neuroprostheses through restoration of greater independence and dignity. Our results demonstrate that implantable neuroprosthetic systems provide good health care value in addition to improved independence for the disabled individual.

Bionics↗
PubMed2000

Electrical stimulation: a societal perspective.

Societal perspective on functional electrical stimulation is colored by media influence, popular thought, and political climate as much as by the science that supports it. The purpose of this article is to examine how these influences facilitate or inhibit the application of electrical stimulation in today's world and to describe the challenges facing the use of electrical stimulation in the future. Emphasis will be placed on perceived need, cost, and available resources and how these factors must be addressed to utilize functional electrical stimulation successfully in society.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1966

Practical stereological methods for morphometric cytology.

Stereological principles provide efficient and reliable tools for the determination of quantitative parameters of tissue structure on sections. Some principles which allow the estimation of volumetric ratios, surface areas, surface-to-volume ratios, thicknesses of tissue or cell sheets, and the number of structures are reviewed and presented in general form; means for their practical application in electron microscopy are outlined. The systematic and statistical errors involved in such measurements are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Electromyographic feedback to improve ankle dorsiflexion, wrist extension, and hand grasp.

Electromyographic feedback was used to train a patient with hemiplegia in the functional use of the muscles of his right upper and lower limbs. The patient trained with the therapist over a period of two and one-half months, engaging in exercises for ankle dorsiflexion, wrist extension, and hand grasp twice a week for one to one and one-half hours. Feedback was recorded with surface electrodes placed over the extensor surface of the forearm and the tibialis anterior; the electromyographic activity was displayed on a meter. After training, muscle control proved functional for walking, handwriting, and daily self-care activities.

Ankle↗
PubMed1976

Myofeedback: a new method of teaching breathing exercises in emphysematous patients.

The diaphragm of the emphysematous patient is low and limited in its excursions, producing an increased functional residual capacity and decreased pulmonary ventilation. This report describes our experiences with a new technique for 1) the training of abdominal-diaphragmatic (A-D) breathing and 2) the relaxation of accessory respiratory muscles in emphysematous patients. Abdominal muscle contraction during expiration has been shown to increase diaphragmatic excursions and, hence, pulmonary ventilation. Use of this technique has been limited, however, because of the difficulty in learning this breathing pattern. Through continuous audio and visual feedback of myoelectric potentials (myofeedback) from abdominal muscles, 12 patients learned A-D breathing. The lower rectus abdominis muscle was found to be the most suitable muscle for obtaining the myoelectric potentials. Similarly, by providing the patients with myofeedback from their accessory muscles, they decreased the use of these muscles, thus increasing their respiratory efficiency. With myofeedback, patients appear to learn new breathing patterns effectively and in fewer sessions than with conventional procedures.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1979

Bedside determination of bicarbonate and base excess, blood oxygen saturation and content, VD/VT, and P50 using a programmable calculator.

Assessing and modifying oxygen transport are major parts of ICU patient management. Determination of base excess, blood oxygen saturation and content, dead space ventilation, and P50 helps in this management. A program is described for determining these variables using a T1 59 programmable calculator and PC 100A printer. Each variable can be independently calculated without running the whole program. The calculator-printer's small size, low cost, and hard copy printout make it a valuable and versatile tool for calculating physiological variables. The program is easily entered by an stored on magnetic card, and prompts the user to enter the appropriate variables, making is easy to run by untrained personnel.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1979

An improved program to calculate intrapulmonary shunting.

A computer program was developed to calculate intrapulmonary venous admixture on a Texas Instruments TI 59 programmable calculator. The program incorporates the following characteristics: 1) a correction for saturated water vapor pressure which varies with body temperature; 2) a mathematical model of the standard oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve; and 3) correction factors for shifts of the dissociation curve due to variations in pH and carbon dioxide tension. It also corrects oxygen tensions obtained at electrode temperature to those at patient temperature, and calculates variations of the Bunsen solubility coefficient of oxygen in blood with body temperature.

Bionics↗
PubMed2004

Electrically evoked compound action potential amplitude growth functions and HiResolution programming levels in pediatric CII implant subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the amplitude growth functions of the electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) in pediatric subjects implanted with the Clarion HiFocus electrode array with respect to electrode position and the presence or absence of a Silastic positioner. Electrophysiologic growth function data are compared with HiResolution (HiRes) psychophysical programming levels. DESIGN: ECAP growth functions were measured for all electrodes along the implant's array in 16 pediatric subjects. Nine of the patients were implanted with a Silastic positioner, whereas seven had no positioner. ECAP thresholds and growth function slopes were calculated. Fifteen of the 16 patients had psychophysical threshold and maximum comfort levels available. Programming levels and ECAP thresholds were compared within and among the subjects. RESULTS: ECAP thresholds showed variability among patients, ranging from 178 to 920 nA at 32 musec pulse width. ECAP thresholds did not depend on electrode position along the cochlea but were lower in the presence of the Silastic positioner (p < 0.001). Thresholds determined with the masker-probe versus the alternating polarity paradigms revealed moderate (r = 0.76) correlation. Growth function slopes also showed considerable variation among patients. Unlike thresholds, slopes decreased from apical to basal cochlear locations (p < 0.001) but showed no difference between the absence and presence of the positioner. Programming levels in HiRes were correlated with ECAP threshold levels. When ECAP thresholds were adjusted for each patient by the difference between M level and ECAP threshold at electrode 9, however, overall correlation between the two measurements was excellent (r = 0.98, N = 224). CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric subjects with the Clarion HiFocus electrode, ECAP growth function thresholds appear to decrease with the presence of the Silastic positioner but are unaffected by electrode position along the array. Growth function slope, however, depends on electrode position along the array but not on the presence of the positioner. ECAP programming levels can reliably predict stimulus intensities within the patients' dynamic ranges, but considerable variability is seen between ECAP thresholds and HiRes programming levels.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed1995

Two-channel enhancement of a multifunction control system.

The enhancement of an existing myoelectric control system has been investigated. The original one-channel system used an artificial neural network to classify myoelectric patterns. This research shows that a two-channel control system can improve the classification accuracy of the pattern classifier significantly, thus improving the reliability of the prosthesis.

Adult↗