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Building Bridges Between Mind and Matter

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Building Bridges Between Mind and Matter Neurology Building bridges between mind and matter Professor John Donoghue, Director of the Wyss Center for Bio and BRIDGING CONTINENTS Neuroengineering in Geneva, is at the cutting edge of neurotechnology Moving to the Wyss Center in Geneva, research. Using the principles behind the BrainGate system he developed Prof Donoghue found himself in an ideal environment to develop and expand the a decade ago in the US, he is continuing his mission to restore movement concepts which had led to the team’s to paralysed patients, as well as branching out into new territory and novel progress so far. Established by a generous applications. donation from the Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss, the Wyss Center presents a new model in translational neurotechnology research, offering hirty years ago Professor UNLOCKING THE GATE competitively awarded support to accelerate Donoghue founded the Brown This critical development was widely projects that have the potential to make Institute of Brain Sciences at covered by the mainstream media, and substantial clinical impact. Brown University in the US. It demonstrated the ground-breaking concept was there that he and his team that a tiny patch of the cerebral cortex could The Wyss Center’s status as a not-for-profit advanced neurotechnological research provide sophisticated command signals. enterprise has enabled collaborations and Tto the point at which they could develop The technology, however, requires further attracted projects which would otherwise the first BrainGate system. Using a small, refinement to be practically applicable not have been possible, bringing together multichannel electrode which lies directly for everyday use. Wired connections are high-risk, high-reward ventures which on the brain and measures its activity, the needed between the electrode implanted in require access to just the sort of specialist team were able to decode brain signals the person’s brain, as is a powerful computer technical and business expertise that the and use them to control the movement of a (to analyse the signals), and a mechanical Center can provide. mechanical arm. arm (to perform the tasks). The Center is located at Campus Biotech in Geneva, a research hub which provides a unique collaborative environment and Fabricating novel electrodes in the clean room. Wyss Center advanced research facilities for scientists and project teams make full use engineers as well as the support and space of the state-of-the-art device development facilities at for business development and start-ups. Campus Biotech in Geneva CONNECTIVE TECHNOLOGY With modern computing and data transfer technology becoming ever smaller and more efficient, Prof Donoghue’s goal of a completely wireless system of wearable and implantable devices that can communicate with each other is coming closer to reality. Working on the basis that neurotech solutions to the needs of people with paralysis must be easy to use, the Wyss Center is working alongside the BrainGate team in the US to develop a miniaturised version of the BrainGate system that can The Wyss Center presents a new model in be placed inside the body. Signals from an translational neurotechnology research, electrode on the brain will be communicated wirelessly to a belt-clipped analysis offering competitively awarded support for computer the size of a mobile phone. This will, in turn, communicate with electrodes projects that have the potential to make which will stimulate nerves to activate substantial clinical impact muscles in the arm. With basic training, the www.researchfeatures.com 11 Neurology The Wyss Center is working alongside the BrainGate team in the US to develop a miniaturised Detail version of the BrainGate system. In the concept RESEARCH OBJECTIVES device, signals from the Professor Donoghue is one of the most brain would be wirelessly What have been the highlights of your brain or other nervous system disorders. recognised researchers in the field of sent to an implanted pulse generator in the long career in neuroscience? We aim to de-risk adventurous, disruptive neuroengineering. His current research chest to stimulate nerves I have been excited each time a person neurotechnology concepts and make them aims to restore limb functions for sufferers and activate muscles in with paralysis has been able to accomplish more attractive to investors and industry so of paralysis. He now leads the Wyss the paralysed arm. new and more useful tasks – from cursor that they can be of real clinical use to the Center for Bio and Neuroengineering control to moving their own arm. In one of people who need them. where translational research ranges from the studies we published from our work at seeking effective treatment for sufferers Brown University, a woman who had been What are the main challenges still to of tinnitus to enhancing rehabilitation paralysed for more than a decade used our overcome in bringing this technology after stroke and solving dyslexia. BrainGate system to control a robot arm into practical use? that reached out and grasped her morning There are many neuroscience and BIO coffee. We saw her serve herself a drink for engineering challenges involved Following his Master's degree the first time in ten years. That was amazing in developing devices that are in Anatomy from the University both for her and for me. basically replacement parts for a of Vermont (1976) and PhD malfunctioning nervous system. from Brown University (1979), What makes the BrainGate system so Some of the big challenges are Professor Donoghue has unique in the field of cybernetics? developing sealing techniques to ensure enjoyed an illustrious career as a The BrainGate system, as we developed that ‘smart’ electronics placed inside the neuroscientist. He is best known for his it over the years, is currently the only body will be leak-proof and able to work for work on 'BrainGate', for which he received system that detects and decodes brain many years. Another practical problem is to the first Israel BRAIN prize in 2013. signals for movement intention and make sure the devices always run. Typical translates them into signals that can be medical device batteries do not have the CONTACT used to control a robot arm and now power needed to process then send huge Professor John P Donoghue (Director) patient can then begin to regain control of long been known that a specific area of the learn to control their own brain activity, and even a human arm. While there are others amounts of information wirelessly from Wyss Center for Bio and their limbs. Functional electrical stimulation, brain, known as the auditory cortex, is often reduce the abnormal activity which results in extending our research, all are using the the brain to other assistive technologies Neuroengineering as it is known, of arm muscles under brain responsible for the generation of this high- tinnitus. same fundamental components created by outside the body. This is much more Campus Biotech control was demonstrated earlier this year by pitched whine. the BrainGate project – the brain sensor, complex than a cell phone, which is already Chemin des Mines 9 the BrainGate group and published in The This sort of real-time monitoring and decoding concepts, and processors. In a a remarkable device. CH-1202 Genève Lancet. The challenges of miniaturisation The Wyss Center team is working on the modulating is termed ‘neurofeedback’, and recent study led by Case Western Reserve Switzerland and making the system wireless, however, development of a system that would use has the potential to impact on a variety of University, our BrainGate technology was Where do you think the next frontier in are still in the process of being solved. a flexible electrode placed on the skull neurological conditions, from improving used to enable a paralysed man to move cybernetics and neurotechnology will W: http://www.wysscenter.ch beneath the skin to record the activity of visual attention to treating dyslexia. his own arm with brain controlled muscle be? SPANS ACROSS FIELDS the auditory cortex. These signals would be stimulation. We are working at the frontiers right now. MORE INFO While developing this novel approach to relayed from a unit worn externally, behind FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO SCIENCE I think the next challenge, once we have http://www.thelancet.com/journals/ the treatment of paralysis, the team has the ear (much like a hearing aid), to a smart FACT How does the Wyss Center differ from created miniaturised, implantable, wireless lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)30601-3/ uncovered basic but fundamental concepts phone where the aberrant activity could be This merging of neuroscience and other collaborative institutions? devices, will be to make the entire system abstract around how the brain communicates monitored. By enabling people to visualise engineering may seem like science fiction, The Wyss Center has a unique model to work in synchrony with the body. We want and perceives sensory input. This new their own brain activity, they can also learn to but for the researchers at the Wyss Center translate neurotechnology. The Center to enable paralysed people to walk down http://www.wysscenter.ch/projects/ understanding of neurobiology and how it regulate the activity. it is the way forward in dealing with the provides interdisciplinary industry and the road, sip a coffee or run in the park thought-control-help-people-with- can be melded to technology has opened complex issues that clinicians face when academic expertise, access to state-of- so that no one would ever know that they paralysis/ the doors to many more applications in this COMPLETING THE LOOP treating brain disorders. Prof Donoghue the-art device development facilities and have a neurotechnology device making field. The long-term goal of the project is to help is a leading researcher in this field and funding to support neurotechnology it happen.
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