Neuroprosthetics

This web page contains images, videos, and animations for the neuroprosthetics projects. You have permission to use the images on this page for news and scientific purposes only, and with proper accreditation.

Caltech

Unlocking Movement: Helping Paralyzed People Use Thought to Control Computers and Robotic Limbs

“What sort of introspection have I gotten from these studies? They have led me to think about what my internal thinking process is. And for me, from the time I wake up, I’m internally talking to myself. We’ve been asking around, and some people do that and some people don’t. They feel that they have more pure internal thoughts that don’t have language attached. So, it’s led to not only introspection for me, but members of the lab as well. I have a feeling that it’s going to be hard to tease these things out. We’ll have to think of very clever experiments.” —Richard Andersen is Caltech’s James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience and the Director and Leadership Chair of the T&C Chen Brain-Machine Interface Center. You can watch his November 8, 2023, Watson Lecture, “Unlocking Movement: Helping Paralyzed People Use Thought to Control Computers and Robotic Limbs,” online.

Watson Lecture Pre-Show Event

Watson Lecture Introductory Video

Richard Andersen: Restoration of Motor Functions: Thought to Action

A part of the brain that controls intuitive movement planning could be key to improving motor control in paralyzed patients with prosthetics. This talk was presented during the National Academy of Sciences Arthur M. Sackler Colloquium: Using Monkey Models to Understand and Develop Treatments for Human Brain Disorders in Irvine, CA January 7-8, 2019.

Caltech/UCLA Health/Casa Colina

Nancy Smith's Story Tribute to Courage Gala 2017

Research Team Story Tribute to Courage Gala 2017

Caltech/USC/Rancho Los Amigos

Next Generation of Neuroprosthetics: Science Explained

Includes animation and narrative

Read the news story

Drinking a Beverage for the First Time

Brain-machine cooperation. Sorto wanted to be able to drink a beverage at his own pace. Here he cooperates with a computer by issuing stop and go brain signals for a sequence of actions programmed by the computer system. Populations of neurons selective for actions can be used to make these state transitions. This demonstrates how higher-level cognitive signals can interface with lower level machine control signals. Collaborators at John Hopkins University developed the robotic arm. (Credit: Caltech)

Surgery & Rehab B-roll

Seven-minute B-roll package including day of surgery, moving robotic arm for first time, first drink and rehabilitation. (Credit: Keck Medicine of USC)

B-roll: Interviews

Erik G. Sorto

Participant

Dr. Richard Andersen, Caltech

Principal Investigator

Keck Medical Center, USC

Dr. Charles Y. Liu, Keck USC - lead surgeon; Dr. Christianne Heck, Keck USC - neurologist

Dr. Mindy Aisen, Rancho Los Amigos

Rehabilitation team lead

Still Images

Click on the link in the credits to view/download the full-size version. All are JPG format.

Using a brain-controlled robotic arm to help himself to a drink, Erik Sorto says, "This study has been very meaningful to me. As much as the project needed me, I needed the project. The project has made a huge difference in my life. It gives me great pleasure to be part of the solution for improving paralyzed patients' lives." (Credit: Spencer Kellis and Christian Klaes, Caltech http://bit.ly/1HtFVaj)

The surgical team at Keck Medicine of USC, working in close collaboration with Caltech and Rancho Los Amigo National Rehabilitation Center, performed the unprecedented neuroprosthetic implant in a five-hour surgery on April 17, 2013. Here the patient, Erik Sorto, is being prepped.
(Credit: Spencer Kellis, Caltech http://bit.ly/1R3Q2Hx)

Example of an fMRI scan used for targeting the device implantation location. (Credit: Caltech http://bit.ly/1ILFIlZ)

(L to R): Dr. Richard Andersen, the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience at Caltech; Dr. Charles Y. Liu, professor of neurological surgery, neurology, and biomedical engineering at USC; and patient, Erik G. Sorto, discusses the quick results from the implant: "I was surprised at how easy it was," Sorto says. "I remember just having this out-of-body experience, and I wanted to just run around and high-five everybody." (Credit: Lance Hayashida, Caltech http://bit.ly/1PWS0qE)

The clinical study, advancing neuroprosthetics to enable paralyzed patients to perform practical tasks and regain some of their independence, was a collaboration of Caltech, Keck Medicine of USC and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. Seated: Dr. Mindy Aisen, chief medical officer at Rancho Los Amigos and patient Erik Sorto. Standing: Dr. Christianne Heck, associate professor of neurology at USC and codirector of the USC Neurorestoration Center; Dr. Richard Andersen, the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience at Caltech; Dr. Charles Y. Liu, professor of neurological surgery, neurology, and biomedical engineering at USC. (Credit: Lance Hayashida, Caltech http://bit.ly/1cONhL5)

Dr. Charles Y. Liu, professor of neurological surgery, neurology, and biomedical engineering at USC, shares a laugh with patient Erik Sorto. Liu is the director for the USC Neurorestoration Center, and was the lead surgeon for the team that implanted a pair of small electrode arrays in two parts of the posterior parietal context (PPC) of Sorto's brain. Each array contains 96 active electrodes that, in turn, each record the activity of single neurons in the PPC. Liu has focused his career on taking care of patients with neurological injuries and diseases. Liu says, "It is clear that completely new approaches are necessary to restore function to paralyzed patients. Direct brain control of robots and computers has the potential to dramatically change the lives of many people." (Credit: Lance Hayashida, Caltech http://bit.ly/1cONiyz)

The computer shows the activity of a single neuron in the brain being modulated by the subject's thoughts. (Credit: Caltech http://bit.ly/1FwEoRB)

A first handshake after being paralyzed for 10 years–the first time since his injury that Sorto could move a limb and reach out to someone. (Credit: Caltech, Keck Medicine of USC, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center http://bit.ly/1JAkBSW)

Sharing a beer, without help. Sorto says, "I joke around with the guys that I want to be able to drink my own beer–to be able to take a drink at my own pace, when I want to take a sip out of my beer and to not have to ask somebody to give it to me." (Credit: Caltech, Keck Medicine of USC, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center http://bit.ly/1BcmgqW)

Making a smoothie. Although he was able to immediately move the robot arm with his thoughts, after weeks of imagining, Sorto refined his control of the arm. Now he is able to execute advanced tasks with his mind, such as controlling a blender. (Credit: Spencer Kellis, Caltech http://bit.ly/1c56rM5)

(L to R) Dr. Charles Y. Liu, professor of neurological surgery, neurology, and biomedical engineering at USC, who led the surgery; Dr. Richard Andersen, the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience at Caltech, the principal investigator; and Dr. Brian Lee, Keck Medicine of USC surgeon, who assisted in the surgery. (Credit: Spencer Kellis, Caltech http://bit.ly/1IPJhGo)

Principal investigator, Dr. Richard Andersen, the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience at Caltech shares a happy moment with patient Erik Sorto. Andersen shares, "For me, the most exciting moment of the trial was when Erik first moved the robotic limb with his thoughts. He had been paralyzed for over 10 years, and this was the first time since his injury that he could move a limb and reach out to someone. It was a thrilling moment for all of us." (Credit: Lance Hayashida, Caltech http://bit.ly/1R3R4Di)

Additional Resources

Caltech

Dr. Richard Andersen, Principal Investigator
Caltech Division of Biology and Biological Engineering: https://www.bbe.caltech.edu
Caltech: https://www.caltech.edu

Keck Medicine of USC

USC Neurosciences: http://neuro.keckmedicine.org
USC Neurorestoration Center: http://keck.usc.edu/en/Research/Centers_and_Programs/USC_Neurorestoration_Center.aspx
Doctor Profile: Charles Y. Liu, MD, PhD: http://www.keckmedicine.org/doctor/charles-yu-liu
Doctor Profile: Christianne Heck, MD, MMM: http://www.keckmedicine.org/doctor/christianne-n-heck

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center

Neurology Department: http://bit.ly/ranchoneurology
Rancho Los Amigos http://dhs.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/dhs/rancho