Human Mind-Controlled Robotic Arm

Researchers in USA have developed a prosthetic arm at John Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory, that is controlled by human mind like a normal human limb.This robotic arm has been successfully tested on a 53 year old paralyzed woman named Jan Scheuermann in Pittsburgh.She is paralyzed neck-down.Jan was paralyzed 13 years ago when she was diagnosed with spinocerebellar degeneration.
Accurately translating the brain signals was one of the biggest challenges in mind-controlled prosthetics.This objective has been successfully achieved in this project.

Jan Scheuermann,with help of this prosthetic arm is now able to hold and move a variety of objects like a normal human arm.According to Lancet Medical Journal,brain implants have been used to control this robotic arm.Two micro-electrode devices were implanted into the left motor cortex of the brain of that woman.The left motor cortex initiates the movement of limbs.The electrodes were connected to the robotic arm through a computer that runs a complex algorithm to translate the signals that imitate the way a brain controls healthy limbs.

Experts believe that this recent development in mind-controlled prosthetic would revolutionize the science of prosthetics and a disabled person would be able to live a normal life like other normal people.A plenty of challenges lie ahead for the scientists and engineers involved in research and development of mind-controlled prosthetics,however,this technology is expected to evolve further and mature in the near future,