Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Military deploys VR NeuroTracker game to train special ops forces (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/military-deploys-vr-neurotracker-game-to-train-special-ops/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/military-deploys-vr-neurotracker-game-to-train-special-ops/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/military-deploys-vr-neurotracker-game-to-train-special-ops/#comments Military deploys VR NeuroTracker game to train special ops forces

We've seen virtual reality used to simulate the experience of being in space, to train engineers and even to help patients regain mobility, so it's no surprise that the military is recognizing VR's potential, too. The US Special Operations Command recently announced that it will employ NeuroTracker -- a system currently used to train athletes in the NFL and NHL -- to assess and improve commandos' response times and perceptive capabilities.

The VR setup tasks commandos with following the movements of four different balls projected on a 3D screen, the catch being that four "decoy" objects are also bouncing around. NeuroTracker assesses how well an individual can keep track of the designated targets, and also helps determine how he or she would be able to predict trajectories in the field. Once a user has completed the first game, several variations come into play, including a version that speeds up the balls' movements and one that pits two players against each other. CogniSens, the company behind NeuroTracker, says the game develops perceptive abilities just like a workout develops muscles; there's even a high-intensity gameplay option that combines the mental challenge with physical conditioning exercises.

Continue reading Military deploys VR NeuroTracker game to train special ops forces (video)

Military deploys VR NeuroTracker game to train special ops forces (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 05:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainbrain gamesBrainGamesCogniSensgamesmilitaryneuroscienceNeuroTrackerSpecial operationsspecial opsSpecialOperationsSpecialOpsvideovirtual realityvirtual reality gamesVirtualRealityVirtualRealityGamesvrWed, 09 May 2012 05:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers develop 'wireless optical brain router' to manipulate brain cells]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-develop-wireless-optical-brain-router-to-manipulat/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-develop-wireless-optical-brain-router-to-manipulat/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/researchers-develop-wireless-optical-brain-router-to-manipulat/#commentsOptogenetics might be a relatively unknown area of neuroscience, but it's one that, thanks to some new research, could soon find itself (and its rodental subjects) in the spotlight. For the uninitiated, it's the practice of manipulating animal cells using light (with a little help from gene therapy). Until now, optogenetic equipment has been large and unwieldy, making testing on subjects (read: rats) painstaking. Startup, Kendall Research, has changed all this, creating wireless prototypes that weigh just three grams (0.11 ounces). By eschewing bulky Lasers for LEDs and Laser diodes, the equipment is small enough that it can be attached to the rodents. At that point, their brain function can be manipulated with the touch of a button, and different parts can be stimulated without breeding mutant variants -- a controversial practice that doesn't even yield results in real time. The "router" is powered wirelessly by super capacitors below test area, and researchers can conduct experiments remotely, even automatically. Human applications for this are still some way off, but we're sure our future overlords will make good use of it.

Researchers develop 'wireless optical brain router' to manipulate brain cells originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain routerBrainRoutercell manipulationCellManipulationexperimentKendall ResearchKendallResearchlaserlaser diodeLaserDiodeledneuroscienceoptogeneticsratsresearchresearcherresearchersRobopocalypseRobotApocalypseroutersciencestartupstartupssuper capacitorSuperCapacitorwirelessTue, 24 Jan 2012 18:58:00 EST<![CDATA[MIT researchers locate genes that help underlie memory formation, zap some mice]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/24/mit-researchers-locate-genes-that-help-underlie-memory-formation/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/24/mit-researchers-locate-genes-that-help-underlie-memory-formation/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/24/mit-researchers-locate-genes-that-help-underlie-memory-formation/#commentsOver time, the neurons in your brain are going to change. And that's only natural. When you experience a new event, your brain encodes the memory by altering the connections between neurons, which is caused by turning on several genes within these neurons. Recenty, a team of neuroscientists at MIT published their findings in the Dec. 23rd issue of Science in which the group was able to pinpoint some of the exact locations of memory formation within the brain. The team, led by Yingxi Lin, found that the Npas4 gene is especially active in the hippocampus, a brain structure known to be critical in forming long-term memories. Once engaged, the Npas4 gene turns on a series of other genes that modify the brain's internal wiring by adjusting the strength of synapses, or connections between neurons. The findings were obtained by studying the neural activity of mice which underwent mild electric shocks when they entered a specific chamber. Upon receiving the shock, researchers noted that Npas4 is turned on very early during this conditioning. The research is still in its early stages and while the researchers have identified only a few of the genes regulated by Npas4, they suspect there could be hundreds more that help with the memory formation process. The lesson learned: stick to it and if you have any questions, mildly shock some mice.

MIT researchers locate genes that help underlie memory formation, zap some mice originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainelectric shockelectric shocksElectricShockElectricShocksformationgenehippocampusmemorymemory formationMemoryFormationmiceMITneuronneuroscienceneuroscientistsNPas4Yingxi LinYingxiLinSat, 24 Dec 2011 18:17:00 EST<![CDATA[BU wizards find success in unconscious neurofeedback learning, announce plans for secret lair]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/10/bu-wizards-find-success-in-unconscious-neurofeedback-learning-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/10/bu-wizards-find-success-in-unconscious-neurofeedback-learning-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/10/bu-wizards-find-success-in-unconscious-neurofeedback-learning-a/#comments
You will learn French this week, even if you're not aware that it's happening. Neuroscientists at Boston University have discovered that patients can quickly learn new skills while having their brain patterns modified via decoded functional magnetic resonance imaging. The group found that pictures gradually build up inside a person's brain, appearing first as lines, edges, shapes, colors and motion in early visual areas with the brain then filling in greater details as needed to complete the object. From there, a correlation was confirmed between increased visual learning and fMRI neurofeedback, repetitions of the activation pattern leading to long-lasting performance improvement. Interestingly, the approach worked even when test subjects were not aware of what they were learning... which is why that sweater you unconsciously knitted last night should fit Johnny Boy like a glove.

Continue reading BU wizards find success in unconscious neurofeedback learning, announce plans for secret lair

BU wizards find success in unconscious neurofeedback learning, announce plans for secret lair originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Boston UniversityBostonUniversitybrainfeedbackfMRIfunctional magnetic resonance imagingFunctionalMagneticResonanceImagingimagingneurofeedbackneuroscienceneuroscientistneuroscientistsvideoSat, 10 Dec 2011 18:36:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC grants radio spectrum to muscle-stimulating wireless devices for paralysis patients]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/07/fcc-grants-radio-spectrum-to-muscle-stimulating-wireless-devices/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/07/fcc-grants-radio-spectrum-to-muscle-stimulating-wireless-devices/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/07/fcc-grants-radio-spectrum-to-muscle-stimulating-wireless-devices/#commentsThe medical community is all smiles today, because the FCC has decided to allocate a chunk of radio spectrum for potentially life-altering wireless devices. Designed for stroke patients and those suffering from brain or spinal cord injuries, these so-called medical micropower networks (MMN) use a set of implanted electrodes and a wearable wireless controller to stimulate the muscles of a paralyzed user. In a statement issued last week, the FCC announced that these devices have been approved for use within the 413 to 457MHz range, as requested in a petition from the Alfred Mann Foundation, which has already constructed several prototype MMN systems. The organization's CEO, David Hankin, immediately lauded the ruling, adding that the Foundation now plans to launch trials of MMN systems on humans, in the hopes of receiving clearance from the FDA. "The FCC's decision removes the most significant roadblock to helping people," Hankin said. "The frequency that has been approved for use is the most efficient for penetrating tissue with radio waves and without which the new generation of our implantable neurostimulator technology would be impossible to advance."

The significance of the occasion wasn't lost on FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, either. "These broadband-enabled technologies are life-changing, impacting individuals, families, and communities in ways we can only begin to imagine," Genachowski said in a prepared statement. His sentiments were echoed in remarks from fellow commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who heralded the decision as "one of the most important the commission has adopted during my tenure," citing its potential to "greatly improve the lives of those who are faced with some of today's most difficult medical challenges."

FCC grants radio spectrum to muscle-stimulating wireless devices for paralysis patients originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advanced microstimulator devicesAdvancedMicrostimulatorDevicesalfred mann foundationAlfredMannFoundationfccFDAfederal communications commissionFederalCommunicationsCommissiongovernmenthealthmedicalmedical micropower networkMedicalMicropowerNetworkmedicinemicrostimulatorMMNneurologyneuroscienceneurostimulatorparalysispatientradioregulationregulatoryspectrumspinal cordSpinalCordstrokeWed, 07 Dec 2011 03:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers create spinal cord connectors from human stem cells, heralding breakthrough]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/researchers-create-spinal-cord-connectors-from-human-stem-cells/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/researchers-create-spinal-cord-connectors-from-human-stem-cells/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/researchers-create-spinal-cord-connectors-from-human-stem-cells/#comments It's taken many years and more than a bit of brainpower, but researchers at the University of Central Florida have finally found a way to create neuromuscular connectors between muscle and spinal cord cells, using only stem cells. Led by bioengineer James Hickman, the team pulled off the feat with help from Brown University Professor Emeritus Herman Vandenburgh, who collected muscle stem cell samples from adult volunteers. After close examination, they then discovered that under the right conditions, these samples could be combined with spinal cord cells to form connectors, or neuromuscular junctions, which the brain uses to control the body's muscles. UCF's engineers say the technique, described in the December issue of the journal Biomaterials, marks a major breakthrough for the development of "human-on-a-chip" models -- systems that simulate organ functions and have the potential to drastically accelerate medical research and drug development. These junctions could also pay dividends for research on Lou Gehrig's disease or spinal cord injuries, though it remains unclear whether we can expect to see these benefits anytime soon.

Researchers create spinal cord connectors from human stem cells, heralding breakthrough originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicanatomybioengineerbiologybiomedicalbreakthroughbrown universityBrownUniversitycellhealthhumanhuman on a chipHumanOnAChipmedicineneuromuscularneurosciencepaperresearchspinal cordSpinalCordstem cellStemCellstudyUCFuniversity of central floridaUniversityOfCentralFloridaWed, 23 Nov 2011 10:03:00 EST<![CDATA[MIT unveils computer chip that thinks like the human brain, Skynet just around the corner]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/mit-unveils-computer-chip-that-thinks-like-the-human-brain-skyn/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/mit-unveils-computer-chip-that-thinks-like-the-human-brain-skyn/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/mit-unveils-computer-chip-that-thinks-like-the-human-brain-skyn/#commentsIt may be a bit on the Uncanny Valley side of things to have a computer chip that can mimic the human brain's activity, but it's still undeniably cool. Over at MIT, researchers have unveiled a chip that mimics how the brain's neurons adapt to new information (a process known as plasticity) which could help in understanding assorted brain functions, including learning and memory. The silicon chip contains about 400 transistors and can simulate the activity of a single brain synapse -- the space between two neurons that allows information to flow from one to the other. Researchers anticipate this chip will help neuroscientists learn much more about how the brain works, and could also be used in neural prosthetic devices such as artificial retinas. Moving into the realm of "super cool things we could do with the chip," MIT's researchers have outlined plans to model specific neural functions, such as the visual processing system. Such systems could be much faster than digital computers and where it might take hours or days to simulate a simple brain circuit, the chip -- which functions on an analog method -- could be even faster than the biological system itself. In other news, the chip will gladly handle next week's grocery run, since it knows which foods are better for you than you ever could.

MIT unveils computer chip that thinks like the human brain, Skynet just around the corner originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainchipcircuitlearningmemoryMITneuroscienceprostheticresearchretinassiliconsynapsetransistorsUncanny ValleyUncannyValleyTue, 15 Nov 2011 14:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Princeton neuroscientists map your brain, play words with subjects]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/03/princeton-neuroscientists-map-your-brain-play-words-with-subjec/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/03/princeton-neuroscientists-map-your-brain-play-words-with-subjec/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/03/princeton-neuroscientists-map-your-brain-play-words-with-subjec/#comments Don't speak. Princeton researchers know just what you're saying -- kind of. Alright, so the Ivy league team of neuroscientists, led by Prof. Matthew Botvinick, can't yet read your minds without the help of a functional MRI, but one day the group hopes to take your silent pauses and broadcast them for public consumption. By mapping highlighted areas of brain activity to words meditated upon by subjects, the group was able to create "semantic threads" based on "emotions, plans or socially oriented thoughts" associated with select neural activity. So, what good'll these high-brow word association experiments do for us? For one, it could pave the way for automatic translation machines, extending a silicon-assisted grok into our nonverbal inner worlds that churns out computer-generated chatter; giving a voice to those incapable of speech. And if it's used for bad? More terrifically horrific psychobabble poetry penned by Jewel's unencumbered mind. Actually, wait. We might be into that.

Princeton neuroscientists map your brain, play words with subjects originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 05:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fMRIMatthew BotvinickMatthewBotvinickneural mappingNeuralMappingneuroscienceprincetonprinceton universityPrincetonUniversityresearchsciencetranslationtranslation softwareTranslationSoftwareword associationWordAssociationSat, 03 Sep 2011 05:48:00 EST<![CDATA[IBM's cognitive computing chip functions like a human brain, heralds our demise (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/18/ibms-cognitive-computing-chip-functions-like-a-human-brain-her/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/18/ibms-cognitive-computing-chip-functions-like-a-human-brain-her/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/18/ibms-cognitive-computing-chip-functions-like-a-human-brain-her/#comments
After having created a supercomputer capable of hanging with Jeopardy's finest, IBM has now taken another step toward human-like artificial intelligence, with an experimental chip designed to function like a real brain. Developed as part of a DARPA project called SyNAPSE (Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics), IBM's so-called "neurosynaptic computing chip" features a silicon core capable of digitally replicating the brain's neurons, synapses and axons. To achieve this, researchers took a dramatic departure from the conventional von Neumann computer architecture, which links internal memory and a processor with a single data channel. This structure allows for data to be transmitted at high, but limited rates, and isn't especially power efficient -- especially for more sophisticated, scaled-up systems. Instead, IBM integrated memory directly within its processors, wedding hardware with software in a design that more closely resembles the brain's cognitive structure. This severely limits data transfer speeds, but allows the system to execute multiple processes in parallel (much like humans do), while minimizing power usage. IBM's two prototypes have already demonstrated the ability to navigate, recognize patterns and classify objects, though the long-term goal is to create a smaller, low-power chip that can analyze more complex data and, yes, learn. Scurry past the break for some videos from IBM's researchers, along with the full press release.

Continue reading IBM's cognitive computing chip functions like a human brain, heralds our demise (video)

IBM's cognitive computing chip functions like a human brain, heralds our demise (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>architectureaxonbrainchipcognitivecognitive computing chipCognitiveComputingChipcomputingCPUDARPAdesignibmibm researchIbmResearchlearningmemoryneuronneuroscienceneurosynaptic computing chipNeurosynapticComputingChipparallelpowerprocessorprototyperesearchsupercomputersynapsesynapsesthinkingvideovon neumannVonNeumannwatsonThu, 18 Aug 2011 10:06:00 EST<![CDATA[KDDI's mind-reading Android app monitors your brainstorms, or lack thereof... (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/kddis-mind-reading-android-app-monitors-your-brainstorms-or-la/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/kddis-mind-reading-android-app-monitors-your-brainstorms-or-la/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/kddis-mind-reading-android-app-monitors-your-brainstorms-or-la/#comments Ready for an epic brainwave dance-off between Jobs' Jets and Rubin's Sharks? Well, put down your shivs and get back to that alpha state because it's gonna take a little while. Developed by KDDI's R&D labs, this prototype mind-monitoring, sensor-laden headband connects wirelessly to your Android device to let you know just how stressed out you are. All it takes is a simple 30-second game of "mash mash mash the little green robot" (amongst others) to translate your focused and relaxed states into an easily readable brain pattern chart. The tech's nothing we haven't already seen the ominously named NeuroSky do for the iOS platform, but it should help to get those fanboy flames a-blazing. Of course, if mobile OS turf wars don't get your neurons in a tizzy, you could always spend half a minute thinking of your honey -- or actual honey. Whatever floats your neural boat. Video demonstration after the break.

Continue reading KDDI's mind-reading Android app monitors your brainstorms, or lack thereof... (video)

KDDI's mind-reading Android app monitors your brainstorms, or lack thereof... (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Androidappapplicationappsbrain patternsbrain wavebrain wavesBrainPatternsBrainWaveBrainWavesGoogleGoogle AndroidGoogleAndroidiOSKDDIKDDI RD LaboratoriesKddiRdLaboratoriesmobile phonemobile phonesMobilePhoneMobilePhonesneurologyneuroscienceNeuroSkyvideoMon, 18 Jul 2011 08:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Toyota Prius Project's concept bike lets you shift gears with your mind]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/toyota-prius-projects-concept-bike-lets-you-shift-gears-with-yo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/toyota-prius-projects-concept-bike-lets-you-shift-gears-with-yo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/toyota-prius-projects-concept-bike-lets-you-shift-gears-with-yo/#comments
Got mind control on the mind? Check out this new concept bike from Deeplocal -- a Pittsburgh-based design house that's adding a neurological twist to the art of cycling. As part of Toyota Prius Project No. 11, the company outfitted the seat post of a Parlee PXP aero road bike with a wireless transmitter, allowing users to remotely shift gears with a smartphone. Deeplocal's designers then added a set of neuron transmitters to a helmet and re-programmed the PXP to communicate with them -- meaning, in theory, that riders could control the bike's gears by simply thinking about it. Theory, of course, isn't the same thing as practice, but perhaps the concept will become a reality if we think really hard about it.

Toyota Prius Project's concept bike lets you shift gears with your mind originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aero road bikeAeroRoadBikebicyclebikebrainconceptconcept bikeConceptBikecyclingdeeplocalhelmetmindmind controlmind controlledMindControlMindControlledneurologyneuroscienceparleeparlee cyclesparlee pxpParleeCyclesParleePxppriuspxppxp bikePxpBikeroad bikeRoadBiketoyotatoyota priustoyota prius projectToyotaPriusToyotaPriusProjecttransportwirelesswireless transmitterWirelessTransmitterFri, 01 Jul 2011 09:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Paralyzed man can stand and walk again, thanks to spinal implant]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/paralyzed-man-can-stand-and-walk-again-thanks-to-spinal-implant/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/paralyzed-man-can-stand-and-walk-again-thanks-to-spinal-implant/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/paralyzed-man-can-stand-and-walk-again-thanks-to-spinal-implant/#commentsHere's an amazing story to end your week on a high note: a 25-year-old paraplegic is now walking again, thanks to a groundbreaking procedure developed by neuroscientists at the University of Louisville, UCLA and Cal Tech. The Oregon man, Rob Summers, was paralyzed below the chest in 2006, after getting hit by a speeding car. This week, however, doctors announced that Summers can now stand up on his own and remain standing for up to four minutes. With the help of a special harness, he can even take steps on a treadmill and can move his lower extremities for the first time in years. It was all made possible by a spinal implant that emits small pulses of electricity, designed to replicate signals that the brain usually sends to coordinate movement. Prior to receiving the implant in 2009, Summers underwent two years of training on a treadmill, with a harness supporting his weight and researchers moving his legs. This week's breakthrough comes after 30 years of research, though scientists acknowledge that this brand of epidural stimulation still needs to be tested on a broader sample of subjects before any definitive conclusions can be drawn. Summers, meanwhile, seems understandably elated. "This procedure has completely changed my life," the former baseball player said. "To be able to pick up my foot and step down again was unbelievable, but beyond all of that my sense of well-being has changed." We can only imagine.

Paralyzed man can stand and walk again, thanks to spinal implant originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 08:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainBreakThroughCal TechCalifornia Institute of TechnologyCaliforniaInstituteOfTechnologyCalTechelectrodeepiduralepidural stimulationEpiduralStimulationhealthimplantlocomotor trainingLocomotorTraininglouisvillemedicinemovementneuroscienceparalysisparalyzedresearchrob summersRobSummersspinal cordSpinal cord injuriesSpinalCordSpinalCordInjuriesstandingtherapytreadmilltreatmentuclaUniversity of LouisvilleUniversityOfLouisvillewalkingFri, 20 May 2011 08:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers take one step closer to neural-controlled bionic legs for safer mobility]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/researchers-take-one-step-closer-to-neural-controlled-bionic-leg/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/researchers-take-one-step-closer-to-neural-controlled-bionic-leg/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/researchers-take-one-step-closer-to-neural-controlled-bionic-leg/#commentsMind-controlled prosthetic legWe've seen our fair share of prosthetic arms and computer interfaces operated with little more than the firing of a synapse, but legs? They're a different story: balancing and propelling a sack of (mostly) flesh and bone is a much more complicated task than simply picking up a sandwich. Thankfully, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago's Center for Bionic Medicine is now one step closer to thought-controlled lower-limb prosthetics. As pictured here, the researchers' early simulations showed that amputees could control a virtual knee and ankle with 91-percent accuracy, by way of pattern recognition software to interpret electrical signals delivered through nine different muscles in the thigh -- patients think about moving, thus lighting up the nerves in varying patterns to indicate different motions. The ultimate goal is to hook up bionic legs through the same way, which would offer a greater range of motion than existing prosthetics, making tasks like walking up and down stairs safer. Now all we need is a quadruple amputee willing to pick up a badge and slap on an eye-tracking microdisplay.

Continue reading Researchers take one step closer to neural-controlled bionic legs for safer mobility

Researchers take one step closer to neural-controlled bionic legs for safer mobility originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ALTamputeebionicbionic legBionicLegCenter for Bionic MedicineCenterForBionicMedicinecruracrusdisabilitydisabledlegmuscleneuralneural controlNeuralControlneuroscienceprostheticprostheticsRehabilitation Institute of ChicagoRehabilitationInstituteOfChicagoRICscienceTue, 26 Apr 2011 10:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Portable brain tumor treatment system kills cancer while you take out the trash]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/17/portable-brain-tumor-treatment-system-kills-cancer-while-you-tak/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/17/portable-brain-tumor-treatment-system-kills-cancer-while-you-tak/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/17/portable-brain-tumor-treatment-system-kills-cancer-while-you-tak/#comments We've seen robots that perform brain surgery and lasers that cook tumors, and now a team of researchers are well on their way to bringing mobility to the battle against brain cancer. The NovoTTF-100A, which just received FDA approval, is basically a set of insulated electrodes, attached to an electronic box, that pumps low intensity electrical fields to the site of a freshly diagnosed GBM (glioblastoma multiforme) tumor. The fields, known as Tumor Treatment Fields (TTF), play off the electrically charged elements of cancer cells to stunt the tumor's growth, and may in some cases actually reverse it. A recent test of the system showed comparable results to chemotherapy, without the usual lineup of side effects, including nausea, anemia, fatigue, and infection. Given, patients using the system are expected to wear the thing continuously, but we'd say walking around with a cap full of electrodes is a small price to pay for giving cancer the boot. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Portable brain tumor treatment system kills cancer while you take out the trash

Portable brain tumor treatment system kills cancer while you take out the trash originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brain tumorbrain tumorsBrainTumorBrainTumorscancercancer treatmentCancerTreatmentfdaFDA approvalFdaApprovalGBM tumorGbmTumorglioblastoma multiformeGlioblastomaMultiformemedicalmedicineneurologyneuroscienceNovocureNovoTTF-100A SystemNovottf-100aSystemtreatmentTTFtumorTumor Treating FieldstumorsTumorTreatingFieldsSun, 17 Apr 2011 03:03:00 EST<![CDATA[NeuroFocus makes first wireless EEG sensor headset, don't call it a thinking cap]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/23/neurofocus-makes-first-wireless-eeg-sensor-headset-dont-call-i/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/23/neurofocus-makes-first-wireless-eeg-sensor-headset-dont-call-i/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/23/neurofocus-makes-first-wireless-eeg-sensor-headset-dont-call-i/#comments It's well known that advertisers track our web-surfing habits to tailor the ads we see, but they'd prefer to know exactly what's going on inside of that brain of yours. NeuroFocus' aptly named Mynd, a full-brain wireless EEG sensor headset, serves as a stylish and easy way to record your thoughts whilst gazing at logos and lusting after products. In addition to neuromarketing applications, the European Tools for Brain-Computer Interaction consortium (TOBI) see it as a tool to help develop new technology for those with neurological disabilities. Sporting looks straight off the Game Grid, the Mynd is made of medical-grade EEG sensors to capture brain activity 2,000 times per second and a Bluetooth radio to shoot your thoughts to the smartphone, tablet, or PC of your choice. The wireless bit represents a huge upgrade over traditional EEG caps because it makes the headset's mind-reading powers available in shopping malls and living rooms instead of just hospitals. All so the sellers of things can know just how effective a spokesperson the ETrade baby really is. PR's after the break.

Continue reading NeuroFocus makes first wireless EEG sensor headset, don't call it a thinking cap

NeuroFocus makes first wireless EEG sensor headset, don't call it a thinking cap originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adsadvertisingbluetoothbrainwavecapeegeeg sensorEegSensorheadsetmarketingmedicalmindmind readermind readingMindReaderMindReadingmyndneuralneurofocusneurologicalneuromarketingneuroscienceTOBIwirelessWed, 23 Mar 2011 11:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Human Connectome Project maps brain's circuitry, produces super trippy graphics]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/01/human-connectome-project-maps-brains-circuitry-produces-super/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/01/human-connectome-project-maps-brains-circuitry-produces-super/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/01/human-connectome-project-maps-brains-circuitry-produces-super/#comments A team of researchers at the Human Connectome Project (HCP) have been carving up mice brains like Christmas hams to find out how we store memories, personality traits, and skills -- the slices they're making, though, are 29.4 nanometers thick. The end goal is to run these tiny slices under a microscope, create detailed images of the brain, and then stitch them back together, eventually creating a complete map of the mind, or connectome. The team, comprised of scientists at Harvard, UCLA, University of Minnesota, and Washington University, is still a long way from cutting up a human brain, partially due to storage limitations -- a picture of a one-millimeter cube of mouse brain uses about a petabyte of memory. A human brain would require millions of petabytes, and an indefinite number of years, causing speculation that the payoff isn't worth the effort -- although, we're convinced the HCP wallpaper possibilities are totally worth it.

Human Connectome Project maps brain's circuitry, produces super trippy graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We always knew that the willy-nilly application of electricity (or, for that matter, radiation) endowed the person on the receiving end with super powers, but neuroscientists at Oxford have taken our misguided notion one step further. The researchers were looking into dyscalculia, a rare impairment related to dyslexia that creates an innate difficulty in understanding mathematics, when they came up with an idea that, to us, seems totally obvious: a very low level (one thousandth of an amp) electrical stimulus across the parietal lobe. So far, the study has been limited to fifteen right-handed students but the results have been pretty interesting. When the current flowed from the right to the left, subjects' ability to solve various mathematical puzzles were improved -- for up to six months after the treatment. However, if the electricity was sent the other way, the effect was reversed and the volunteers' scores were on par with a six year old. "Much more research is needed before we can even start thinking of this kind of electrical stimulation as a treatment," said Oxford's Dr. Cohen Kadosh. "However, we are extremely excited by the potential of our findings and are now looking into the underlying brain changes."

Oxford neuroscientists shock the parietal lobe, improve math scores originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>braindr. cohen kadoshDr.CohenKadoshelectricitymathneuroscienceoxfordoxford universityOxfordUniversityparietal lobeParietalLobescienceshockFri, 05 Nov 2010 12:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Optogenetics hold the key to future brain disease cures, still creep us out]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/21/optogenetics-hold-the-key-to-future-brain-disease-cures-still-c/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/21/optogenetics-hold-the-key-to-future-brain-disease-cures-still-c/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/21/optogenetics-hold-the-key-to-future-brain-disease-cures-still-c/#comments Those mad neuroscientists, they'll never learn, but maybe in the end we'll all be better off for it. Wired has put together an extremely intriguing write-up of the short history of optogenetics -- featuring a German pond scum researcher, a Nobel Prize winner, and rat brains controlled by beams of light. Optogenetics is a relatively new technique for communicating with the brain, which involves the implantation of particular light-sensitive genes into animals with the purpose of repairing neurological ailments through light therapy (no, not that kind). By hooking up fiber-optic cables to the affected area of the brain, researchers have been able to completely restore movement in mice with Parkinson's disease and their current efforts revolve around developing a less invasive method that doesn't go deeper than the outer surface of the brain. Most revolutionary of all, perhaps, is the eventual possibility for two-way traffic (i.e. a machine being able to both send and receive information from the brain), which brings all those cyborg dreams of ours closer to becoming a reality than ever before. Hit up the read link for the full dish.

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Optogenetics hold the key to future brain disease cures, still creep us out originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brainbrain activitybrain diseasebrain functionBrainActivityBrainDiseaseBrainFunctionfiber opticfiber-opticFiberOpticgeneticshealthmedicinemindmind controlMindControlneuralneural cellsNeuralCellsneuronsneuroscienceoptogeneticsPeter HegemannPeterHegemannplant genesPlantGenesresearchRoger TsienRogerTsienstanfordstanford universityStanfordUniversityWed, 21 Oct 2009 10:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Mice run through Quake, Princeton neuroscientists scan their brains for traces of evil (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/15/mice-run-through-quake-princeton-neuroscientists-scan-their-bra/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/15/mice-run-through-quake-princeton-neuroscientists-scan-their-bra/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/15/mice-run-through-quake-princeton-neuroscientists-scan-their-bra/#comments Want to know just how prevalent technology has become in our lives? Now even lab mice get Quake-derived virtual reality playgrounds to navigate instead of their old school wooden mazes. In all honesty, this appears a significant and praiseworthy advancement, as the Princeton team have succeeded in mapping brain activity right down to the cellular level, with real-time tracking of single neurons now possible. The Orwellian-looking setup above is necessary in order to keep the mouse's head immobile, and thus capable of being studied, while the animal moves around and its brain performs motion-related tasks. Go past the break to see a schematic of the scanner and a quite unmissable video of it in action.

[Via Switched]

Continue reading Mice run through Quake, Princeton neuroscientists scan their brains for traces of evil (video)

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Mice run through Quake, Princeton neuroscientists scan their brains for traces of evil (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is pure Philip K. Dick: in June a judge in India found a woman guilty of murdering her former fiancé and sentenced her to life in prison. The smoking gun? Test results obtained using the Brain Electrical Oscillations Signature test (BEOS) developed by Indian neuroscientist Champadi Raman Mukundan. The BEOS software uses an EEG to determine whether the subject is recalling specific details of a crime as they are being read aloud. BEOS "works" because as the crime's details are recited to a subject, their brain lights up in specific regions -- the areas that (in theory) show measurable changes when experiences are relived. According to Mukundan, the system can distinguish between peoples' memories of events they witnessed and deeds they committed. Gee, now that we have the technology to read criminal's minds and predict crimes we'll be expecting a crime-free society any minute now.

Update: The headline error in the post has been fixed -- thanks commenters!

[Via Slashdot]

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Indian neuroscientist peers into a woman's brain, finds guilt originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You're looking at a very Futurama like man-robot from the latest mashup to hit the industry. This one has a brain. It's the result of research from Riken and BSI-Toyota whose goal is to develop robots and automotive systems driven by neurotechnology akin to that of our carbon-based brains. The research is expected to result in more sophisticated auto-safety technology, mind-controlled machinery, and a new breed of baby-shoe wearing robots for domestic friendship and health care. Fortunately, this wobbly tyke has a long way to go before he begins bending the steel girders required to produce the forced-suicide booths of our doom. First steps after the break.

[Via Impress]

Continue reading Video: Riken and BSI-Toyota robot goes on a neural bender

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Video: Riken and BSI-Toyota robot goes on a neural bender originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brain-computer interfaces have been kicking around for a few years now, but they're relatively slow and unwieldy, which kind of puts a damper on world-domination plans -- the guy with the keyboard would probably be well into the missile-launch sequence by the time you've strapped on your dork-helmet. That might be slowly changing, though, as Caltech researchers are working on a robotic brain-computer interface, which can currently be implanted directly into non-human primate brains and move itself around to optimize readings. Although the MEMS-based motor system that actually moves the electrodes is still being developed, the software to do the job is ready to go, and the whole system being presented this week at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Pasadena. Robot-android chimps? Sure, that's just what we need.

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Researchers develop robotic brain-computer interface originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 May 2008 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sending electrical shocks into the brain via a "brain pacemaker" has already led to dramatic breakthroughs like the revival of a man trapped in a vegetative state for six years, but new research may mean that the technique is soon a common treatment for disorders like depression and OCD. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic, Mass General, Harvard Medical School and Brown Medical School implanted the Medtronics brain pacemaker into 17 people suffering from depression and tracked them for a year, finding significant improvements in mood as well as social and occupational functioning, while 26 patients suffering from OCD were followed for three years and also showed "marked improvement." Findings will be presented to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons this week in Chicago, and clinical trials are scheduled for later this year -- in other news, sales of "The Terminal Man" to neurosurgeons recently skyrocketed for unknown reasons.

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"Brain pacemaker" could treat depression, OCD originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's hope for those of us suffering from chronic imbalance as a result of staring too long at periodic tables and 20-sided dice. It's an implant developed by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. The implant looks to off-set balance irregularities in the human vestibular system caused by trauma or disease affecting the gyroscopic function of the inner ear. A microprocessor converts signals received from a motion sensor worn on the head into electrical impulses. These are then sent to an electrode implanted into the inner ear. The first test will begin next week on a rhesus monkey. A move which evokes cries of "unfair" from us -- unlike nerds, monkeys already have excellent balance.

Researchers develop human prosthesis for balance, unfortunately it's not a tail originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neuroscientists read people's intentions with brain scan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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