American City Business Journals (news from 41 Business publications around the country)
Cyberkinetics teams with Mass. General on ALS
08/22/2005 10:38 AM Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems Inc. of Foxborough today announced the start of a new pilot clinical study of its BrainGate Neural Interface System, a brain-computer interface, in individuals diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease). The company received clearance under an Investigational Device Exemption from the Food and Drug Administration, and the study will be conducted at Massachusetts
General Hospital. Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems is developing products to treat nervous system diseases and disorders by bringing together advances in neuroscience, computer science and engineering. Cyberkinetics has received FDA clearance to market the NeuroPort System, a neural monitor designed for acute inpatient applications and labeled for temporary (less than 30 days) recording and monitoring of brain electrical activity. Cyberkinetics’ BrainGate System is being designed to give severely paralyzed individuals a long-term, direct brain-computer interface for the purpose of communication and control of a computer, assistive devices, and, ultimately, limb
movement. The system is an investigational brain-computer interface that consists of an internal sensor to detect brain cell activity and external processors that convert these brain signals into a computer-mediated output under the person’s own control.
The sensor is implanted on the surface of the area of the brain responsible for movement, the motor cortex. A small wire connects the sensor to a pedestal that is placed on the skull, extending through the scalp. An external cable connects the pedestal to a cart containing computers, signal processors and monitors that enable the study operators to determine how well study participants can control devices driven by their neural output — by thought alone.
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