Aug. 9, 2009
Harnessing The Power Of The Brain
Scott Pelley Reports How Brain Computer Interface May Help The Paralyzed In The Future
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Play CBS Video Video Brain Power People who are completely paralyzed due to illness or trauma are getting help communicating with a new technology that connects their brains to a computer. Scott Pelley reports.
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Cathy Hutchinson (CBS)
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"And you'll see there are little white disks scattered around on your head," Dr. Wolpaw explained.
Those disks are electrodes that pick up the faint electrical activity that brain cells create when they communicate with each other. Vaughan put a conductive gel on top of Pelley's scalp to help the electrodes pick up the signals.
Pelley was thinking of the letters of a word that only he knew. Every time the computer flashed the correct letter on the screen, he silently thought to himself, 'That's it, that's the one.' That feeling of recognition set off a unique electrical pattern in his brain, which the computer picked up.
It worked the first time Pelley tried it, without a single mistake, spelling out "THOUGHT" with the help of BCI.
"You know, I can imagine some people watching this interview are thinking to themselves, 'Wait a minute, they’re connecting the brain to a computer.' Are we moving in the direction of reading people's thoughts? Are we, is this mind control around the corner?" Pelley asks.
"No, No it is not - it is certainly not mind control and it's different from reading people's thoughts. And it's important to realize this requires the cooperation of the person," Wolpaw explains.
As remarkable as this is, some scientists believe this technology is limited, because putting electrodes on top of the scalp is like listening to a symphony from the street outside the concert hall. So what would happen if the electrodes were inside the brain?
That's what they're doing at the University of Pittsburgh, implanting electrodes inside the brains of monkeys. Andy Schwartz, a neuroscientist at the university, implanted a grid of electrodes. It’s tiny, but there are 100 sensors, each listening to a different brain cell, or neuron.
It's like listening to the symphony of the brain, but now sitting in the front row. Schwartz has been decoding that language by watching the monkey's movement and recording the corresponding signals in its brain.
Asked what that tells him, Schwartz says, "So there's a relationship between how fast the neuron fires and the way the animal moves its hand. And we're trying to understand that relationship so that if we see a neuron firing we can say, 'Ah, the animal's about to make this kind of movement.'"
Once Schwartz started to figure out that relationship, he was able to connect the monkey's brain directly to a robotic arm. Within days, the monkey operated the arm as if it was his own. "The monkey has both arms restrained. And we’re recording brain signals from its brain and it’s using those brain signals to operate this entire arm," Schwartz explains. "As well as the gripper"
Schwartz says the monkey is operating the robotic arm with nothing but his thoughts. Asked what the chances are that a human would be able to do the same thing, he says, "Oh, we think a human being could do much better."
Cathy Hutchinson is well on her way to finding out: she's among the first humans to have her brain directly wired to a computer. Years ago, Cathy suffered a stroke that left her mentally sharp but trapped inside a paralyzed body and unable to speak, "locked in" like Scott Mackler.
Three years ago, Cathy volunteered to have the same kind of sensors Pelley saw in the monkeys implanted in her motor cortex, which controls movement and is located right on the surface of the brain. The sensors connect to the computer through a plug on her head. The system is called "Braingate" and it was created by a team led by Brown University neuroscientist John Donoghue.
"If you look at this square each one of these little black boxes is the electrical signal coming from one electrode in the brain," he explains.
Each one of the little black boxes is a neuron firing. "It’s its electrical potential. It lets out a 1/1000th of a second pulse," Donoghue explains.
Asked how well we understand this language, Donoghue says, "We have a somewhat of an understanding. We know that there’s a general pattern of, for example, left/right, up/down, even fast or slow."
Produced by Denise Schrier Cetta
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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See all 52 CommentsDebra Ferguson
fergusondebbie64@hotmail.com
May this song played at Bruce Edwards Farewell( Tom Watson's logtime caddie-friend who passed away from ASL ) be some words of comfort and Thanks form those suffering from ALS. KEEP THE FAITH
World Caddie HQ-PCA
Dennis Cone
Founder/CEO
GIFT FOR YOU AND YOUR HEART :)
Hear Gary Chapman's version ( Key of B ) of "FIVE FEET AWAY" that was played at Bruce Edwards
( Tom Watson's Caddie) funeral Play the song here http://www.pcaworldwide.com/13azf.htm
Peace and Love to ALL
www.PCAFhq.org
After seeing the above story, I couldn't help but wonder if it would be useful (or would work) with either patient's electrode devices. If either patient wants to give it a try, please send an email to info@daligisoftware.com.
Though I normally charge a nominal fee for the software, I would gladly give either patient a copy at no charge in exchange for seeing how (or if) it would work with their specific technology. If they would like to see what it looks like and how it works first before deciding, they can get more info at:
www.daligisoftware.com
Rose Crivolio
rcriv@aol.com
That was a very good story you did on things like BrainGate, but you missed the best follow through to all of it.
Just search the Internet for this topic, and get the best of this story.
"The Department of Positive Out of Body Possibilities"
Please this is his last chance. They may send him to hospice but he is stil trying to communicate. He wants to fight this. See his story.
Sylvia Jones
336-375-0940
Posted by kphx at 04:36 PM : Nov 03, 2008, as a lame response to my points (c) & (d) as posted at 10:33 PM : Nov 02, 2008.
kphx, please note point (a).
"To those who are critical of research with animals:
(a) Get your priorities straight."
"I wonder why the monkey`s head was not shown."
Sigmund Freud asked, "What do women want?"
The answer should have been self-evident and sejoyb is a typical example.
Women want to spend their lives creating problems where none exist.
Imagine people NOT murdering innocents, but executing MURDERERS. Imagine people NOT taking money from the people that EARNED it to GIVE it to people that won''t work for it.
Imagine people NOT calling our president "Hitler" because he defends our country and is not well liked by our country''s enemies.
Imagine people NOT turning brain research into political statements.
Just imagine...
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Snap Circuits Extreme 750-in-1 with Computer Interface
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... yet addictive puzzle/brain games that are as fun as they are challenging A ... fresh and spa-like Interface highlights the earth''s natural wonders and .... http://www.jr.com $29.95
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RS232
While the hardware components cost about $5000, the Wadsworth BCI home system is not yet available outside the confines of our research studies due to the need for substantial ongoing technical support. Efforts are underway to reduce this need and thereby enable much wider dissemination of the Wadsworth system. Contact The Brain Communication Foundation for further information.
http://www.wadsworth.org/bci/faq.html#8
I don''t think it will be available for Christmas.
(d) Most researchers have the same pets and sensitivities to animals as do most other people - be assured that they would not use animals if there were a better alternative.
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Posted by ws44 at 10:33 PM : Nov 02, 2008
Yeah right ... I love my pet dog so much. But he has got this bad disease, I need to test the cures on humans, before I try it on my dog. Any takers ... I can see ws44 volunteering for this.
Society only hides that which is shameful.
If animal-experimentation is good: then we should all be pleased to see it.
Thanks! Now I can have nightmares about VP Cheney"s brain being hooked up to computer to run the world! OMG!
LOL
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