Program Summary
The Reliable Central-Nervous-System (CNS) Interfaces (RCI) effort seeks to demonstrate CNS interfaces that dramatically extend their performance and lifetime. RCI includes strategies for reliably recording motor-control information from a variety of sources, such as single-unit action potentials, local field potentials, electrocorticography (ECoG) and electroencephalography (EEG). This effort focuses on developing amputee-relevant behavioral-testing methods to accurately evaluate the reliability of CNS-interface systems prior to testing in the intended patient population.
Technical Area #1: Demonstrate clinically viable high-performance CNS interfaces that achieve the ability to reliably record motor-control information. Performers developed novel electrode coatings to decrease inflammation and attract neurons to the device, built novel electrodes that allowed tissues to grow through the device, and built probe arrays that would dissolve over time leaving only a fine gauge serpentine wire.
Technical Area #2: Develop clinically viable electronic systems for reliable CNS-interface systems. This challenge remains a significant technology barrier.
Technical Area #3: Demonstrate clinically viable algorithms and system-level approaches for reliably decoding motor-control signals from detected CNS signals. Investments resulted in the demonstration of advanced decoding algorithms capable of self-calibration and adaptive tuning.
Technical Area #4: Develop novel behavioral testing methods to demonstrate the amputee-relevant functionality of neural interfaces. Investments were made in developing biological testbeds for demonstrating system performance in vivo.
Technical Area #5: Demonstrate clinically viable systems that provide tactile sensory and/or proprioceptive limb feedback via stimulation of the CNS. Lack of direct neural feedback is significantly limiting the ultimate performance of brain controlled prosthetic limbs.