Restauração do movimento corporal

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Universidade de Trás-Os-Montes e Alto Douro

Restoration of whole body movement

Docente – Professor Luís Torres Pereira

Unidade curricular – Seminário I

Carina Lopes

João Patatas

Vila real, 21 de Janeiro de 2016

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Introduction

        Currently, branches of Biomedical Engineering, in partnership with entities related to science and technology, trying to develop techniques as responding to psycho- motor difficulties experienced by mankind. Lifelong arise us unexpected situations and that could prevent us from living the daily life normally. The strokes, amputation of members, are examples of situations to date created such an upheaval in the life of each and that future problems can be overcome. Daily we are subjected to an intense burst of brain activity, which we do not realize. This happens in simple tasks such as reading, writing and walking.

Brain activity above referred is developed in milliseconds . Whenever we make a move, however simple it may seem to us, demands on the part of the brain a sending information which, in turn, will be broadcast by synapses to the target organ. However, for amputees and stroke victims who have sensory- motor skills diminished, this process, which initially should be simple, it is difficult or even impossible.

The electroencephalogram – EEG

        In order to study the brain activity has been created the EEG - electroencephalogram. The EEG is a test that uses electrodes, or small flat metal discs, which are applied to the scalp at the brain surface, or even within the brain substance so as to detect the electrical activity of the brain.

EEG and the restoration of body movement

        To combat the impossibilities , referred to above , and meet the needs of people with sensory abilities and diminished engines have been developed noninvasive neural systems that collect data from the EEG and which may soon control modern devices as prostheses or robotic exoskeletons .

Decoding the movements of the upper limbs

        As the body movement restoration goal is to make the prostheses and powered robotic exoskeletons resemble more and more the human reality, a team at the University of Maryland was created in partnership with the medical school of the same university and the APL- John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. In this preliminary state of the partnership is to combine the results of both entities.

The APL is working on the next generation of robotic arms, which resemble a functional member , which is designed and funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency . On the other hand , the team of the University of Maryland focuses on one of the possibilities to control the robotic limb . This control system is based on the results of the EEG.

To design the neural interfaces , the team of the University of Maryland pair used to acquire the EEG signals that will subsequently feeding the neural decoders (filters ) to translate them into control signals to drive the movements of the fingers and robotic arms. The filters are designed based on a short calibration period ( involving observation of imagination and movement). The data which are needed for neural decoders were obtained from the prediction made by EEG after several individuals were subjected to a test in which subsequently results were recorded and analyzed. Moreover, by sLoreta it was possible to locate sources of current density associated with the hand speed.