The application of brain machine interfaces in the deka arm

With the relatively recent invention of brainmachine interfaces (or BMIs for short), it is now possible for the human brain to send and receive signals from an electronic device. Using electromyography (EMG), the electrical activity of muscle tissue in the body is actually able to be recorded as signals and sent to the brain to be interpreted. These brain-machine interfaces have a number of applications, one of them being that you could functionally connect the brain to a device linked to or implanted in almost any body part. This idea is the key to perfect bionics and has greatly advanced what bionics can do. Currently, bionics users rely solely on visual feedback to successfully maneuver their limbs. But, with the use of vibration-induced kinesthetic feedback, amputees are able to accurately control limbs with the sense of touch instead. Vibrational stimulation in conjunction with electromyography provides the user with kinesthetic feedback, allowing the prosthetic to be perceived as a functioning limb and not just a tool. This mechanism is specifically used in a device known as the DEKA Arm System (also commonly called the Luke Arm). Combined with a new surgical technique, the brainmachine interface is able to send signals from the central nervous system to the prosthetic based off of feedback from various muscle movements. These features would help amputees who struggle with mental illnesses, such as anxiety and depression, spurred by the loss of a limb and the frustration of adapting to a prosthetic. The successful implementation of BMI technology to prosthetics will provide millions of amputees around the world with an outstanding replacement for their lost appendage, thus improving their quality of life. Key Words—Brain-machine interface (BMI), DEKA Arm system, Kinesthetics, Luke Arm, Electromyography INTRODUCTION: AN EVOLUTION IN BIONICS To one day have perfect bionics, scientists and researchers must utilize what are known as brain-machine interfaces (BMIs). Successfully linking the brain to a computer and allowing communication between the two is the future of the biomechanics industry. While this sounds simple, in reality, it requires engineers to account for numerous factors. Human limbs have many underlying mechanisms and capabilities that most people don’t even think about, for example, kinesthetics. Current technology hasn't even been able to mimic the range of motion seen in human limbs. In order for our primitive bionics technology to evolve, engineers have a lot of work to do in several different areas. One of these areas is the amputation surgery itself. A recent technique allows a patient’s motor and sensory nerves to be rerouted to restore the function of, or reinnervate, proximal skin and muscle tissue. When a person attempts to move a missing limb, brain signals trigger the innervated muscles, causing them to contract [1]. Connecting a prosthetic to a user using electromyography (EMG) allows for these signals to be harnessed, thus providing prosthetic control and feedback. Compared to now, where prosthetics users are only able to use visual feedback to successfully maneuver their limbs, vibration-induced kinesthetic feedback gives amputees the ability to have accurate control with the sense of touch instead. After a motion is performed, joint tendons vibrating at 70 to 115 Hz can generate a perception of movement, even if the patient is completely stationary [2]. This helps the prosthetic to be perceived as actually part of the body and not just an attachment. A specific application of this is the DEKA Arm System (also known as the Luke Arm, after the character from Star Wars, Luke Skywalker.) Recently approved for commercialization, this prosthetic arm is the first arm that allows users to regain their sense of touch [3]. It comes with six pre-programmed patterns and four wrist movements, enabling better precision and flexibility for the user [4]. Prosthetics with features like these, and most importantly, the BMI component, will help amputees to not