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In the quest for perfection, man is trying his best to develop biological systems with engineering precision, and somewhere in the near future we could have a truly bionic (artificial) man. The good thing is that this could help the disabled and the ailing in a great way. BIONICS HELP FOR THE DISABLED

he human body is one of the best creations of nature, the application of methods and systems found in nature to the for it is an amazing combination of muscles, sensory study and design of engineering systems and modern organs, neural networks et al. But, over a period of technology. In simple terms, when we think about bionics, it is time and also due to some unforeseen circumstances, generally about prosthetic arms or leg enhancements that are >>Tsome of these natural combinations cease to work to their worn outside the body and, to some extent, even implanted potential, or get damaged altogether. So, is it possible to get sensor devices inside the body, which are specifically enhanced back the glory bestowed on us by Mother Nature? Is it possible to carry out routine tasks. These are essentially life systems to graft a human organ or restore sensory perceptions to the that are powered by motors/actuators and sensory arrays. human body? One major field working towards this is ‘bionics’, These send neural signals from the affected part of the body to an interdisciplinary approach where different technologies are the , by which individuals are able to perform some tasks coming together to make this scenario possible. independently. According to popular definition, bionics or biomimetics is In a typical scenario, what would happen if you lost a

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certain part of your body? Unfortunately, we are not bestowed with such unique Muscle power enabled by MEMS regenerating capabilities that the starfish Polymers are definitely making progress, as can be seen from the pioneering efforts of Carlos or the common lizard possess to grow Montemagno, a micro engineer, and his team at the University of California, Los Angeles. The back our arms and legs, restoring them experiment was to use living muscle cells to power Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) to their original state. Stem cell research instead of micro motors, which would act as muscle-based nerve stimulators. Montemagno may be the answer, but no one knows for worked painstakingly for three long years and was finally rewarded. sure and, till then, it’s going to be artificial In their lab, the micro engineers used a device—an arch of silicon fifty micrometers wide implants and this is where bionics comes (half the width of a human hair) on which the team grew a cord of heart muscle fibre into the picture. Let’s take a look at all (experimenting using rat cells)—all powered by a glucose culture medium on a Petri dish. To that could possibly be done to restore or achieve the desired conductivity for the structure to grow and move, the team decided to use reconstruct a damaged human body. a gold film that acted as the adherent. Over a period of three days, the entire silicon arch was covered by muscle fibre. Finally, when the restraining beam, which held the musclebot was Developments removed, it started to crawl at speeds of 40 micrometers per second. According to him, the The history of bionics begins from ancient technique when applied to humans would help people with damaged phrenic nerves to mythological times, where soldiers were breathe easily, and the human muscles would be powered by blood glucose from our own reported to have replaced their mutilated body itself. limbs with artificial ones made of iron ore and gone out to battle. But the present day scenario is influenced by a variety of are increasingly being used by 1999 for an arm wrestling match against disciplines, viz. robotics, bioengineering researchers to assist humans to overcome a robotic arm made out of EAP. The and MEMS, with nanotechnology taking deformities. Yoseph Bar-Cohen of challenge was finally accepted in March centre stage because it applies detailed NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is the 2005 by a sixteen-year high school precision to engineer body organs and first among equals in the research on student, Panna Felsen, USA, who make them function along with EAP. He has conducted several defeated three robotic arms made out of human tissues. experiments, and has found that these EAP. Through this experiment, Yoseph The last few decades have been polymers respond exactly like our Bar-Cohen was able to prove that with wonderful years for technological normal muscles under the influence of further improvement in technology, EAP advances, both for the medical and the electrical stimulation and therefore are could one day actually emulate biological electronics industry in the form of the most likely candidates for use in the muscles and, quite possibly, the verdict miniaturised electronic components, human body as well as robotic areas of might be different the next time around! sophisticated microchips and advanced work. Encouraged by the R&D work he Now, imagine what a world of difference computer systems—all functionally had carried out, and confident about the it would make to people suffering from embedded in the human body. This unique properties of EAP, he had issued muscular dystrophy. Again, there’s one particular human-to-machine interface, an open challenge to the world way back more interesting capability of EAP—it aptly termed as ‘ entities’ or in can be coupled with MEMS to produce ‘Bionic bodies’, has helped people with smart actuators. physical disabilities (the differently abled) by providing them with Artificial hearts artificial limbs, cochlear implants, So now that we have the muscular artificial muscles and other organs body, we need some heartbeat. Our to perform tasks, enabling them to heart is like the engine of the body, lead a notably better lifestyle. pumping blood to various organs and keeping us alive and if that Artificial muscles stops…! Artificial development on What would the human body be the heart started around the 1950s without muscles? Just a dangling when pacemakers were introduced (big skeleton! Quite a scary thought! mammoths, plugged onto wall So in the case of units, with which you damaged muscle, is could move only as far there a possibility of as the extension cord generating new muscles permitted) that altogether! Well, yes— allowed people with one such scenario is the heart problems some use of EAP or respite. Current Electroactive Polymers. pacemakers are tiny. In These are often referred the technical sense, a pacemaker is a to as artificial muscles and miniaturised electrical generator that

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consists of a battery that can last a number tissues deteriorate, and over a period of of years and a computer circuit neatly time a person can become blind. But as encased in plastic. This generates tiny long as the optic nerve is intact, there is electrical pulses to the heart and regulates still hope. As a result, research doctors at the rhythm (pacing and sensing) of the leading institutes around the world are heartbeat, while a doctor controls the working hard to restore vision to software for the pacemaker. Any people suffering from such eye problems and he gets a signal alerting diseases. Some of the innovative him to rectify it immediately (embedded products developed there are now intelligence). But what about a being surgically implanted for the completely artificial heart? treatment of vision impairment. The Abiocor heart, developed by Working on nanoscale Abiomed (www.abiomed.com), has been dimensions, the artificial silicon successfully implanted in many patients retina (ASR) developed by (though the mortality rate has also been Optobionics (www.optobionics.com) high) and has also helped to prolong life of Naperville, Illinois is a very tiny for almost up to six months. The patients microchip with a diameter of just 2 mm who receive artificial hearts are those and thickness of 25 microns. This fits who are on their deathbeds, with inside the eye and has an amazing 5,000 typically not more than 15-20 days of life microscopic solar cells, called expectancy. One of the most complicated microphotodiodes, each with its own damaged, the sound output from the cases involved Robert Tools, a US-based individual stimulating electrode. These auditory nerves does not reach the brain 58-year old telephone company microphotodiodes act as light sensors and a cochlear implant is the only employee and one-time teacher. He had that help convert the light energy solution for the loss. The implant has a suffered two early heart attacks, entering the eye into electrical impulses sizeable number of electrodes that congestive heart failure and was a that stimulate the remaining functional replicate the function of hair cells, thereby diabetes patient. Operated on July 2, 2001, cells of the retina, enabling the person a enabling the hearing frequency and this to receive the Abiocor heart, he survived certain amount of vision. The ASR sound information is passed on to the for a record 151 days. microchip owes its creation to the Chow brain. An interesting development took brothers—Vincent Chow, an electrical place recently at the Australian Centre Sensory perceptions— engineer, and Alan Chow, a paediatric for Medical Bionics and Hearing Science, bionic eyes and ears ophthalmologist. Using their unique part of Melbourne’s Bionic Ear Institute The human eye is made up of millions of medical and engineering experience, they (www.bionicear.org). Research scientists rods and cones that enable sight. These have been able to create one of the tiniest and other collaborators at the institute have the capability of converting light to artificial retinas. Besides these two are perfecting a bionic ear coated in a electrical impulses, which travel along enterprising brothers there are many who smart plastic that would boost the growth the optic nerve to the brain where images have almost pledged their entire life to of nerve cells in the inner ear when it’s are formed. But due to diseases such as the treatment of eye diseases—one zapped with electricity. To get the best Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and age-related notable name being that of Dr William sound output for the device, the macular degeneration (AMD) the healthy Dobelle (1941-2004), who along with his researchers are using a polymer called dedicated team, has been able to polypyrrole, as it has conducting restore sight to many blind people properties. It can even act as biosensors, around the world. His team has artificial muscles and be useful to successfully developed a camera- generate solar energy, besides acting as brain interface that relays images to a host structure for molecules to stimulate a portable computer and transmits nerve re-growth. them to electrodes surgically Professor Gordon Wallace of the implanted on the brain’s visual Intelligent Polymer Research Institute at cortex. The vision represents dot the University of Wollongong matrix images at first, but over a (www.uow.edu.au) says it serves the period of time the person wearing it dual purpose of regenerating dead nerve would be able to see more detailed cells from the ear as well as treating spinal images. cord injuries. The device would be powered by a battery, which when Cochlear implants zapped with electric current would The human ear consists of release the required amounts of the numerable hair cells that enable neurotrophin NT3, which regenerates hearing, but when these are nerve cells.

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An e-nose and an spent over ten years in developing his e-tongue? prototype, HAL (hybrid assistive limb). Biocompatibility When technology for the eyes and ears HAL3, the current version, is a bionic Materials and devices now co-exist in the has been developed, can the nose and suit equipped with an onboard human body, viz. knee and hip joint tongue be left behind? The e-nose and e- computer and batteries that power the replacements, cardiac and dental implants tongue are very much the subject of motor-driven metal “exoskeleton”, and a host of others. These biomaterials discussion in international forums. which has to be strapped on to the legs have to be compatible or else they might Joseph R. Stetter and William R. Penrose to assist leg movements. interfere with the normal functioning of the from the Department of Biological, The bionic suit uses bioelectric immune system. Chemical and Physical Sciences, Illinois sensors attached to the leg muscles and through radio waves enabled by a small Institute of Technology, are busy transmits the signals to the onboard external controller that can be worn by working to develop new tastes, detect computer’s database when the person the patient. The most important aspect new odours and finally give the world a stands, walks, climbs or makes any kind of these BIONs is that when fully sense of taste and smell never imagined of movement. Besides the above charged, they can deliver good amounts before! Sounds interesting! These are prototype, there are two more in the of electrical stimulation to larger muscles typically sensing systems that would pipeline—HAL4 and HAL5. The HAL3 with varying intensity. have a database of ‘n’ number of odours weighs a significant 22 kg, while the Currently, they are being tested on and tastes sampled from a variety of new prototypes would be far lighter people with shoulder dislocations and resources stored on a tiny microchip that and do away with the backpack have been able to restore movements in analyses the given taste and smell as the computer and wireless patients who otherwise had lost hope of algorithms. connections would reside on a small those dead muscle cells ever working But who would need it? As a matter pouch worn on the belt of the bionic again. They are biocompatible and pose of fact, our natural noses and tongues suit. The most important development no threat to the human body even if they are quite capable of detecting various would be that the suits would contain are left behind after the treatment is over. odours and savouring delicacies. But do an upper part to assist the arms. One such bionic device under we really want to go into that dirty This can be used to lift weights up to experimentation was fitted recently (May manhole and dig out those samples for around 40 kg. 2005) at the University of Southampton, scientists to work on and make human using radio frequency microstimulator kind prosper? This is exactly why Bionic and the (AMF—RF microstimulator) devices with such artificial sensing systems are art of stimulation developed in partnership with the being developed—to be sent on Thanks to Christopher Reeve, the man Alfred Mann Foundation (AMF) dangerous missions where humans fear fondly remembered the world over as (http://ami.usc.edu), a not-for-profit to tread. ‘Superman’ and wheelchair bound Prof medical research organisation based in Stephen Hawking, the role for research Human assistance in the field of neurology has been the US. The project members, led by Dr Jane Burridge, are hopeful of the entire For most humans, movement is easy but highlighted. After a horse-riding accident FES trial as the technique allows specific for a quadriplegic it requires supreme that left him paralysed from the neck individual muscles to be addressed and effort to even move an inch. What we below, it was almost a miracle that Reeve their progress can be monitored easily. have seen till now are artificial arms/ was able to survive for so many years. The recipient of this treatment was a legs that just pass on as accessories. Dr Gerald Loeb, Professor of 46 year-old hairdresser and a keen netball However, the actual movement of the Biomedical Engineering at the University player who had suffered from a stroke limbs is possible only when the neural of Southern California (USC), along with nine years ago and again in 2002, which interface stimulates the damaged his team, is working on a technology had affected the left side of her body. muscles to do the required action. called BIONs, which aims to bring back The device, around 1.7 centimetres long Thanks to the pioneering efforts of life into paralysed muscles. These BIONS and 2.4 millimetres in diameter, was Yoshiyuki Sankai of the University of are wireless electrical devices just around implanted onto her arm through a small Tsukuba in Japan, a great enhancement 2 mm wide by 15 mm long, and can be incision that would provide the necessary has been possible that would be a boon injected into the human body via a electrical stimulation to her weak to people suffering from spinal cord and hypodermic needle, exactly where they paralysed muscles and help her regain other injuries. The research scientist has are required. The power source is her earlier mobility. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) Brain machine interface The human brain is one complex working After a paralytic attack or stroke, the individual usually loses some amount of activity on the mechanism. All our thoughts and actions affected part of the body. Doctors make use of FES to help regain the activity of the motor are controlled by it and research to cells, whereby a low level electrical current is applied to activate the paralysed muscles in a unravel the subconscious domain is being controlled manner. carried out. To unravel the mysteries of

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the mind, people have and vision far better than implanted themselves the human eye! with microchips just to It’s quite likely that in feel how they could the coming years there will benefit from be many interesting technology. One such developments. Let’s person is Prof Kevin visualise a scenario Warwick, a true Cyborg somewhere in the future— in the making. Over the the year 2080 for example. years he has carried out You go to the doctor for experiments kidney treatment and successfully and is keen instead of operating on the to try out many more. defective organ, the doctor In Prof , suggests you replace your we have a healthy kidney, as fresh body person who has got the organs are in stock. And it maximum benefit from takes hardly a few minutes technology, but for a to get operated on. Those disabled person it’s a whole new world can now be better focused to study brain might be the days where a complete kit, of experience. signals to aid humans suffering from which includes heart, lungs and other Though some body organs of a spinal cord and other injuries. DARPA accessories for the body, could ensure disabled person fail to function as hopes that one day fighter pilots might that a completely new person comes out required, the brain is still intact, and this be able to operate certain controls just by of the hospital. Sounds too far-fetched? is driving research scientists to make use thinking! Wonder what the Wright But with the rapid progress of of neural signals and design interfaces to brothers would have thought of such a technology, who knows!? help them in their quest to lead a novel idea! We are just getting closer to the productive life. BrainGate is one such above reality as machines are getting technology still in the clinical trial smarter and more powerful, thanks to stages, developed by Cyberkinetics Bionics in the current scenario has embedded artificial intelligence. Prof (www.cyberkinteicsinc.com). Their made it possible for many people Kevin Warwick, the human neural interface system consists of a tiny to have several Cyborg, envisions a chip embedded inside the brain of the implants in their future where we patient, which processes the thought bodies powered by would communicate commands on to a computer screen by electronic motors. This interaction entirely through our thoughts alone, which the patient would be able to move between man and machine is have infinite memory, and biochips the cursor on screen, send e-mails, and getting closer everyday. Such inside our bodies would be a play simple games—all just by thinking. scenarios have been showcased on common feature. So, would someone Scientists at Duke University, under the silver screen time and again, be able to read our thoughts? And the guidance of Miguel Nicolelis, M.D., in ‘Terminator’, ‘Robocop’ and the if there were maniacs amongst us, carried out an experiment funded by most cited example of yesteryears, would they try to control everyone DARPA (Defense Advanced Research the TV serial ‘The Million Dollar or just fire missiles and detonate Projects Agency) where electrodes were Man’. The character is a superhero bombs silently? Would we have connected to the of monkeys, and chasing bad guys and eliminating another race more powerful than us using their brain waves the monkeys them with the help of his and, most pertinent of all, what operated a robotic arm. The team of newfound bionic powers; legs that would the term ‘human’ mean? neurobiologists who carried out the help him to jump over distances, Questions such as these are being experiment point out that this research arms strong enough to lift a bulldozer debated time and again by technology and society experts, but we need to move forward and look at the The Bionic Car—BOX FISH positive aspect of how technology could be put to better use for mankind— Mercedes Benz is the automobile maker that needs no introduction. Its three-pointed star bionics could truly improve the quality emblem is the hallmark of quality, and every car owner would like to possess a Merc. of human life. Setting standards is the name of the game for the German giant and what better place to look for inspiration, than nature itself. The Mercedes-Benz Technology Center (MTC) is AUTHOR developing the Mercedes-Benz bionic car—a concept vehicle based on examples inspired NILESH KAKADE from nature. It is aerodynamic, light, saves fuel and is highly advanced…just check it out The author is an editorial consultant for at http://www.daimlerchrysler.com. EFY Group. He can be contacted at [email protected].

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