This week’s technology report isn’t on something you can use - yet. ScienceDaily reports that a team at the University of Reading has created a robot that is controlled by an actual biological brain. This has a great deal of potential applications as it continues to develop and become more complex.

Using cultured neurons, the scientists developed this brain in a move to determine how memories manifest and how the brain “stores specific pieces of data”. The neurons are placed into a dish called a multi-electrode array (MEA) that has 60 electrodes which pick up the electrical signals sent by the cells. These signals are what determine how the robot moves.

As researchers figure out how to get the robot to learn, they hope to be able to watch the actual process of how memories manifest themselves when the robot travels over known territory.

Knowing more about how memory forms will help researchers understand how memory is damaged in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and eventually, how to repair it!

To keep an eye on this research, visit the University of Reading.

Don’t let your disability keep you inside this summer! This week’s tech report is on products that will make the beach comfortably accessible.

Beach wheelchairs are a great way to get out and about and enjoy the sunshine and they make accessing any sandy waterfront affordable and fun. The De-Bug by Achievable Concepts is a four wheeled, fixed frame all-terrain wheelchair. It is made with stainless steel tubing, has 21 by 11 inch front tires and 13 by 6 inch rear tires along with padded armrests and sling seating. The rear suspension articulates 20 degrees which allows all four wheels to maintain ground contact, creating stability, while the large front tires are said to make it easier to push.

Another all-terrain chair is the Landeez All-Terrain Wheelchair. This one can not only traverse the sand, but can also maneuver through water, snow or mud. Different in form from the De-Bug, the Landeez’s rear tires are large with a soft PVC plastic pneumatic design that absorbs road shocks. They are also made with stainless steel frames and have a 325 pound weight capacity.

These are just two examples of wheelchairs that provide access to nature’s attractions…we don’t advocate for any in particular as they all have a variety of different features and fits that will appeal to different people. Check them out and find one that fits you!

Here are a couple of sites to get you started on your wheelchair search:

Achievable Concepts

Landeez

This week’s technology spotlight is on an interesting assistive device called a cerebral interface or brain-computer interface (BCI).

The BCI enables users to augment their ability to communicate. Created by Carmen Vidaurre Arbizu, the BCI interfaces with the user’s computer and electroencephalograms (EEG) to generate signals used for communication.

In only four hours of of training, the typical user was able to control the interface. If you are interested in using your mind to control your computer, this device is worth checking out! Perhaps a peek into the future of assistive technology, the BCI brings us a big step closer to easy communication.

Pain management technology for chronic back pain:

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment involving the implantation of a “brain pacemaker”, a device that sends electrical impulses to areas of the brain, primarily the sensory thalamus, in order to relieve chronic pain. This procedure is used for pain that medication has had no effect on, as it’s not exactly simple and there can be some unpleasant side effects.

Fine electrode wires are inserted into specific parts of the brain, and then they are used to deliver continuous pulses of electricity to the brain regions that process pain signals. By changing brain activity though the depression of excitatory transmissions in the thalamus, pain is effectively “turned off”.

The DBS is made up of the implanted pulse generator (IPG), the lead, which is a wire insulated in polyurethane that the electrical impulses run through, and the extension, which connects the lead to the IPG. The DBS is surgically inserted into the body - the electrode is implanted into a small hole (about 14 mm) that is drilled into the skull under local anesthesia, and then under general anesthesia, the IPG and lead are implanted.

Side effects vary depending on the patient, but some that have been documented are “apathy, hallucinations, compulsive gambling, hypersexuality, cognitive dysfunction and depression”. Wikipedia notes that these effects may be temporary, if experienced at all, and are most likely reversible with either change in placement of the stimulator or its removal.

While there are a handful of procedures that you can turn to if medication fails to be effective, this particular one has a high success rate, some 80 percent over time, and is also reversible should it not work.

Wheeling in style with Trekinetic.

Trekinetic is a light, ultra-stylish, all terrain wheelchair developed by Mike Spindle in order to provide fashion conscious wheelchair users with an alternative to the basic, boxy style currently available.

After eight years of development and 14 separate prototypes, Spindle’s Trekinetic is ready for sale. It is built around a carbon fiber seat, has front wheel drive with a singular rear castor for added stability, uses a dynamic breaking system and includes protection from the weather in the form of storeable umbrella.

The Trekinetic is not only comfortable and attractive, it is quick and easy to fold up and store. If you want to check it out, visit Mike Spindle’s Website.

All images are from the Trekinetic Website.

Environmental Control

Among the many complications of paralysis, one of the most frustrating is having reduced control over your environment. Everyday activities such as dialing a telephone or turning on a light suddenly become extremely difficult or even impossible.

An environmental control unit, otherwise known as an ECU, can help people with spinal cord injury regain control over their environment. ECUs maximize function and increase independence in the home, at work, at school, and in everyday life in general.

Simply put, an ECU is a remote control that operates a variety of appliances and switches. An ECU may allow you to open doors, adjust the lights, answer or dial the telephone, or turn on the television.

There is an ECU designed for just about any level of paralysis. ECUs can be operated by hand, by voice, by computer, by sip, by puffs of air, or even by eye blink.

Man Meets Machine

Remember those science fiction television shows like the “Bionic Man,” where technology was used to combine man and machine? Well, that no longer exists just in the imagination of a screenwriter. It’s become a reality.

Today, science has made it possible for people with paralysis to stand and walk, grasp things with their hands, and control bladder and bowel movement. How is this done?

A neural prosthesis is wired directly to the nervous system, allowing it to replace or supplement nerve function.

Currently, the Parastep, a device that allows paraplegics to ambulate, is the only neural prosthetic available on the United States market. Neural prostheses designed to facilitate hand grasping and bowel and bladder movement are FDA approved, but have been pulled from the U.S. market because of high costs and low reimbursement rates.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke participates in developing aids for people with paralysis through the Neural Prosthesis Program. For more information, go to http://npp.ninds.nih.gov/nnp