MIT conjures up algorithm for neural prosthetic device

October 8, 2007 – 9:14 am

A team of MIT researchers have crafted “a new algorithm to help create prosthetic devices that convert brain signals into action in patients who have been paralyzed or had limbs amputated.” Essentially, neural prosthetic devices “represent an engineer’s approach to treating paralysis and amputation,” and this particular process utilizes a method called graphical models which represents the “mathematical relationship” between what a human attempts to do and the “neural manifestation” of that goal. Granted, even the gurus hard at work on this stuff admit that it’s quite a ways from being pushed out to the public, but there’s already plans in place to convert the algorithm into a usable device in due time.