A new implant enables patients with paralysis to type using their thoughts, among other things. It is a minimally invasive implant, inserted through the carotid artery. In the short term, the first clinical tests with the implant will be carried out.
The Stentrode was developed by Synchron, a US company based in Palo Alto. Brain implants that allow typing text using thoughts have long been available. One example is Dutch Hanneke de Bruijne, who is almost completely paralysed as a result of the progressive nerve disease ALS. In 2016, it was announced that De Bruijne can operate a tablet and spell words using a brain implant.
Such implants usually have to be implanted through brain surgery. Not only is this a difficult operation with a long recovery time, it can also cause all kinds of complications.
Endovascular neural interface
With the Stentrode, Synchron aims to eliminate these drawbacks. This 'endovascular neural interface' is implanted through the carotid artery using a catheter. Here, the implant is directed to the motor cortex and placed in a nearby artery. The Stentrode is basically a stent with built-in sensors, which unfolds in the blood vessel and attaches to the vessel wall. Over time, cells grow over the stent, allowing it to be slowly absorbed by the human body.
This method means the patient does not have to undergo brain surgery. This not only helps eliminate risks associated with brain surgery, but also ensures that patients do not have to undergo as much surgery.
Capturing and transmitting signals
Once implanted in the motor cortex, the Stentrode captures signals, which are transmitted to a wireless antenna implanted in the patient's chest. Through this antenna, the signals are sent to an external receiver. Synchron is currently working on a software suite that allows using these signals to drive a control system and a set of applications with supporting functionalities.
Synchron has high hopes for Stentrode. "This technology has the potential to give patients with paralysis back digital control of their world, without the need to move their muscles," the company writes on its website. Thomas Oxley, CEO and founder of Synchron, tells Futurism he aims to convert signals from the motor cortex into text at a speed comparable to writing a text message.
Clinical trial
Synchron is currently preparing the first clinical trial with Stentrode. This will involve implanting the interface in five subjects, each of whom has paralysis of the hands or mouth that prevents them from communicating.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Synchron
