Category: Brain
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Reaction to smells, autism, linked
Weizmann Institute of Science researchers may have developed a test to detect autism based on a child’s reaction to smells. The study suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder don’t adjust their sniffing instinctively when they encounter pleasant or foul scents. 18 children with an autism diagnosis, and 18 typically developing children, were presented with pleasant…
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Spoken sentences recreated from brain activity patterns
KIT‘s Tanja Schultz has reconstructed spoken sentences from brain activity patterns. Speech is produced in the cerebral cortex. Associated brain waves can be recorded with surface electrodes. Schultz reconstructed basic units, words, and complete sentences from brain waves, and generated corresponding text. This was achieved by a combination of advanced signal processing and automatic speech recognition.…
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Car-based heart, brain activity monitoring
“Sixth Sense” by Jaguar/LandRover attempts to monitor a driver’s heart rate, respiration and brain activity to identify stress, fatigue and lack of concentration. The XJ “wellness seat” analyzes heart rate and breathing, has touchscreens that predict which button a user wants to press with fingers mid-air, and has a vibrating accelerator pedal that communicates hazards.…
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Injectable electronics treat neurodegenerative disorders
Harvard‘s Charles Lieber has developed a device that can be injected into the brain to treat neurodegenerative disorders and paralysis. The nanoscale electronic scaffold is injected with a syringe. The scaffolds then connect to devices used to monitor neural activity, stimulate tissues, or promote neuron regeneration. In an earlier study, Lieber demonstrated that cardiac or nerve…
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Brain reactions could replace passwords
Binghamton professors Sarah Laszlo and Zhanpeng Jin believe that they can verify a person’s identity by using EEG to monitor the way brains respond to words. Their Neurocomputing paper puts forth the view that thoughts can replace passwords. In April, 2013, ApplySci described a similar study by Berkeley‘s John Chuang. The researchers observed brain signals of 45 volunteers…
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Brain – immune system link
Antoine Louveau, of University of Virginia‘s Kipnis Lab, has discovered a direct connection between the brain and the immune system via previously unknown vessels. The finding could have significant implications for the study and treatment of neurological diseases, including autism, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis. According to Professor Kipnis: “It changes entirely the way we perceive…
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Headphones to diagnose brain injury, infection
Robert Marchbanks and Tony Birch at University Hospital Southampton have developed a noninvasive brain pressure test to detect head injuries and infections. The cerebral and cochlear fluid pressure (CCFP) test uses patient headphones to measure ICP via a channel which links the inner ear with the brain. As fluids in the ear and brain are connected, a…
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Intent controlled robotic arm with neuroprosthetic implant
Caltech and Keck researchers implanted neuroprosthetics in a part of the brain that controls the intent to move, with the goal of producing more natural and fluid motions. The study, published in Science, was led by Richard Andersen. A quadriplegic implanted with the device was able to perform a fluid handshaking gesture and play “rock,…
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Intent controlled prosthetic foot using myoelectric sensors
Ossur‘s sensor implant allows amputees to control bionic prosthetic limbs with their minds. Myoelectric sensors are surgically placed in residual muscle tissue. Prosthetic movement is triggered via a receiver. Ossur’s existing “smart limbs” are capable of real-time learning and automatically adjust to a user’s gait, speed and terrain. However, conscious thought is still required.…
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Phone based Parkinson’s research
mPower is a mobile Parkinson’s Disease study, powered by HealthKit. It attempts to understand why people experience different symptoms, and why a person’s symptoms and side effects can vary over time. The process includes surveys and tasks that activate phone sensors. Progression symptoms, including dexterity, balance and gait, are tracked. The goal is to understand variations, improve the…
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Implant to enable prosthetic sensations
Washington University‘s Daniel Moran has received a DARPA grant to test a device that would stimulate nerves in the upper arm and forearm of prosthetic users. The goal is for the wearer to be able to feel hot, cold, and a sense of touch. In a related development last year, MC10‘s Roozbeh Ghaffari developed artificial skin…
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Wireless brain chip restores vision, bypasses eye
Monash University’s Bionic Eye will be trialed in humans next year. The study is being led by Professor Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld. Patients who have lost their sight will have tiny “ceramic tiles” implanted into their brain’s visual cortex. The device bypasses the normal visual pathway, unlike the other bionic eyes in development, which rely on…