Cognitive control signals for neural prosthetics

• US 20050228515A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Corneil, Brian D., Musallam, Sam, Greger, Bradley, Scherberger, Hansjorg, Andersen, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/061 using biological neurons, e.g. biological neurons connected to an integrated circuit

Abstract

In an embodiment, the invention relates to neural prosthetic devices in which control signals are based on the cognitive activity of the prosthetic user. The control signals may be used to control an array of external devices, such as prosthetics, computer systems, and speech synthesizers. Data obtained from monkeys'"'"' movement intentions were recorded, decoded with a computer algorithm, and used to position cursors on a computer screen. Not only the intended goals, but also the value of the reward the animals expected to receive at the end of each trial, were decoded from the recordings. The results indicate that brain activity related to cognitive variables can be a viable source of signals for the control of a cognitive-based neural prosthetic.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting neural activity in at least one area of the brain of a subject corresponding to a cognitive signal; and

generating a control signal to instruct an external device to perform a task associated with the cognitive signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cognitive signal describes an intended goal of the subject.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cognitive signal describes a reach goal, an expected value, speech, abstract thought, executive control, attention, decision, motivation, memory, imagery, emotion or mood of the subject.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising building a database of cognitive neural signal data from the subject.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the database comprises information collected from at least one brain control trial performed by the subject.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising decoding the neural activity in the subject.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the external device to perform the task.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device is a prosthetic limb.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device is selected from the group consisting of a computer device, a speech synthesizer, a wheelchair, a vehicle, a controller, a touch pad, a keyboard, a robotic hand, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting neural activity in the subject further comprises recording local field potentials (LFP) in the subject'"'"'s brain.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a control signal further comprises deriving multiple control signals from a single area in the brain or from a simultaneous recording from multiple brain areas.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein generating a control signal further comprises deriving multiple control signals from LFP recordings, spike activity, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is an expected value signal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the task associated with the cognitive signal comprises determining the nature of the cognitive signal itself, wherein the cognitive signal is selected from the group consisting of a mood, a motivation, an attention, a preference, a decision, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising improving the subject'"'"'s control of the external device based on direct effort and learning.

16. An article, comprising:

a machine-readable medium which stores machine-executable instructions, the instructions causing a machine to;

detect neural activity in at least one area of the brain of a subject corresponding to a cognitive signal, and

generate a control signal to instruct an external device to perform a task associated with the cognitive signal.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein the cognitive signal describes an intended goal of the subject.

18. The article of claim 16, wherein the cognitive signal describes a reach goal, an expected value, speech, abstract thought, executive control, attention, decision, motivation, memory, imagery, emotion or mood of the subject.

19. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to build a database of cognitive neural signal data from the subject.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the database comprises information collected from at least one brain control trial performed by the subject.

21. The article of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to decode the neural activity in the subject.

22. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to cause the external device to perform the task.

23. The article of claim 16, wherein the external device is a prosthetic limb.

24. The article of claim 16, wherein the external device is selected from the group consisting of a computer device, a speech synthesizer, a wheelchair, a vehicle, a controller, a touch pad, a keyboard, a robotic hand, and combinations thereof.

25. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions to detect neural activity in the subject further comprise instructions to record local field potentials (LFP) in the subject'"'"'s brain.

26. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions to generate the control signal further comprise instructions to derive multiple control signals from a single area in the brain or from a simultaneous recording from multiple brain areas.

27. The article of claim 25, wherein the instructions to generate the control signal further comprise instructions to derive multiple control signals from LFP recordings, spike activity, or combinations thereof.

28. The article of claim 16, wherein the control signal is an expected value signal

29. The article of claim 16, wherein the task associated with the cognitive signal comprises determining the nature of the cognitive signal itself, wherein the cognitive signal is selected from the group consisting of a mood, a motivation, an attention, a preference, a decision, and combinations thereof.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

a database of cognitive neural signal data from a subject;

an input device operative to receive a local field potential (LFP) reading from a measuring device in the subject, correlating with a cognitive signal in the subject;

a signal processor coupled to the input device and operative to generate a processed signal in response to analyzing the LFP reading; and

a decoder operative to generate a control signal in response to said processed signal, based on an analytical operation performed with the database of cognitive neural signal data from the subject.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the measuring device comprises an implant.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the cognitive signal describes an intended goal of the subject.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the cognitive signal describes a reach goal, an expected value, speech, abstract thought, executive control, attention, decision, motivation, memory, imagery, emotion or mood of the subject.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the database comprises information collected from at least one brain control trial performed by the subject.