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Ossur's prosthesis: bionic leg controlled by subconscious thoughts
The Ossur system uses implanted sensors sending wireless signals to the artificial limb's built-in computer
Biomedical engineering company Össur has announced the successful development of a thought controlled bionic prosthetic leg. The new technology uses implanted sensors sending wireless signals to the artificial limb's built-in computer, enabling subconscious, real-time control and faster, more n
Prosthetics controlled by muscle impulses have been around since the late 1960s, but the technology has severe limitations. It works by laying sensors on the skin of the vestigial limb, which picks up electrical impulses that control, for example, an artificial arm. The trouble is, these sensors pick up electric impulses from more than one muscle. This degrades performance, requires a lot of practice to operate properly, and makes the prosthesis slow, Imprecise, and frustrating to use.
One answer to this is to use more precise sensor arrangements that make the limb, for all practical purposes, mind-controlled. The method is already used with great success on upper limbs and even artificial hands, but, paradoxically, it's been less successful with lower limbs.
The problem is that upper limbs use more conscious control than the lower ones. We use arms and hands for actually doing things like picking up a cup or working a screwdriver so we do a lot of the heavy work of coordination. By contrast, we use legs for getting around and our control is much less conscious. Essentially, the legs need to control themselves by means of reflexes triggered by the spinal cord rather than direct commands from the brain.
For example, we can put on a pair of socks without being aware of what a complex series of movements we execute with the foot and ankle without any awareness. The leg and foot just do what they’re supposed to do. But without this automatic adjustment by our neuromuscular system, clearing a doorstep without stumbling becomes a major accomplishment.
Össur's new mind-controlled technology for lower-limb prosthetics is designed to be compatible with its line of bionic feet, knees, and legs. These bionic prostheses are computerized smart limbs capable of real-time learning with the ability to adjust themselves to the wearer's gait as well as the walking speed and terrain.
The control system works by means of Implanted MyoElectric Sensors (IMES) developed by the Alfred Mann Foundation. The size of a matchstick, these are implanted into specific remnant muscles in the limb stump. Meanwhile, a coiled-wire receiver inside the prosthesis' cup picks up the impulses and transmits them wirelessly to the robotic limb's computer. Together, the IMES and robotic limb act as a sort cybernetic spinal cord. Instead of the wearer consciously controlling the limb's movements, the wearer sends an unconscious command to the prosthesis, which controls the movement.
"The technology allows the user’s experience with their prosthesis to become more intuitive and integrative," says Thorvaldur Ingvarsson, leader of the mind-controlled prosthetics project. "The result is the instantaneous physical movement of the prosthesis however the amputee intended. They no longer need to think about their movements because their unconscious reflexes are automatically converted into myoelectric impulses that control their Bionic prosthesis."
Two volunteers have had the technology implanted for a year as part of the First-in-Man research project. Both participating amputees were positive about the new technology and clinical trials are continuing.
The announcement was made today by Jon Sigurdsson, President & CEO of Össur, the global innovator credited with creating the world’s first Bionic prostheses for amputees.
"Mind-controlled Bionic prosthetic legs are a remarkable clinical breakthrough in next-generation Bionic technology," said Jon Sigurdsson, President & CEO of Össur. "By adapting not only to the individual’s intentional movements but to intuitive actions, we are closer than ever to creating prosthetics that are truly integrated with their user."
Source: Össur via Popular Science
Source: https://www.gizmag.com/ossur-first-mind-controlled-bionic-leg-prosthesis/37614/
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Founded by Russian entrepreneur Dmitry Itskov in February 2011 with the participation of leading Russian specialists in the field of neural interfaces, robotics, artificial organs and systems.
The main goals of the 2045 Initiative: the creation and realization of a new strategy for the development of humanity which meets global civilization challenges; the creation of optimale conditions promoting the spiritual enlightenment of humanity; and the realization of a new futuristic reality based on 5 principles: high spirituality, high culture, high ethics, high science and high technologies.
The main science mega-project of the 2045 Initiative aims to create technologies enabling the transfer of a individual’s personality to a more advanced non-biological carrier, and extending life, including to the point of immortality. We devote particular attention to enabling the fullest possible dialogue between the world’s major spiritual traditions, science and society.
A large-scale transformation of humanity, comparable to some of the major spiritual and sci-tech revolutions in history, will require a new strategy. We believe this to be necessary to overcome existing crises, which threaten our planetary habitat and the continued existence of humanity as a species. With the 2045 Initiative, we hope to realize a new strategy for humanity's development, and in so doing, create a more productive, fulfilling, and satisfying future.
The "2045" team is working towards creating an international research center where leading scientists will be engaged in research and development in the fields of anthropomorphic robotics, living systems modeling and brain and consciousness modeling with the goal of transferring one’s individual consciousness to an artificial carrier and achieving cybernetic immortality.
An annual congress "The Global Future 2045" is organized by the Initiative to give platform for discussing mankind's evolutionary strategy based on technologies of cybernetic immortality as well as the possible impact of such technologies on global society, politics and economies of the future.
Future prospects of "2045" Initiative for society
2015-2020
The emergence and widespread use of affordable android "avatars" controlled by a "brain-computer" interface. Coupled with related technologies “avatars’ will give people a number of new features: ability to work in dangerous environments, perform rescue operations, travel in extreme situations etc.
Avatar components will be used in medicine for the rehabilitation of fully or partially disabled patients giving them prosthetic limbs or recover lost senses.
2020-2025
Creation of an autonomous life-support system for the human brain linked to a robot, ‘avatar’, will save people whose body is completely worn out or irreversibly damaged. Any patient with an intact brain will be able to return to a fully functioning bodily life. Such technologies will greatly enlarge the possibility of hybrid bio-electronic devices, thus creating a new IT revolution and will make all kinds of superimpositions of electronic and biological systems possible.
2030-2035
Creation of a computer model of the brain and human consciousness with the subsequent development of means to transfer individual consciousness onto an artificial carrier. This development will profoundly change the world, it will not only give everyone the possibility of cybernetic immortality but will also create a friendly artificial intelligence, expand human capabilities and provide opportunities for ordinary people to restore or modify their own brain multiple times. The final result at this stage can be a real revolution in the understanding of human nature that will completely change the human and technical prospects for humanity.
2045
This is the time when substance-independent minds will receive new bodies with capacities far exceeding those of ordinary humans. A new era for humanity will arrive! Changes will occur in all spheres of human activity – energy generation, transportation, politics, medicine, psychology, sciences, and so on.
Today it is hard to imagine a future when bodies consisting of nanorobots will become affordable and capable of taking any form. It is also hard to imagine body holograms featuring controlled matter. One thing is clear however: humanity, for the first time in its history, will make a fully managed evolutionary transition and eventually become a new species. Moreover, prerequisites for a large-scale expansion into outer space will be created as well.
Key elements of the project in the future
• International social movement
• social network immortal.me
• charitable foundation "Global Future 2045" (Foundation 2045)
• scientific research centre "Immortality"
• business incubator
• University of "Immortality"
• annual award for contribution to the realization of the project of "Immortality”.
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