title: High-performance neuroprosthetic control by an individual with tetraplegia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paralysis or amputation of an arm results in the loss of the ability to orient the hand and grasp, manipulate, and carry objects, functions that are essential for activities of daily living. Brain-machine interfaces could provide a solution to restoring many of these lost functions. We therefore tested whether an individual with tetraplegia could rapidly achieve neurological control of a high-performance prosthetic limb using this type of an interface.
  
  
  METHODS
  We implanted two 96-channel intracortical microelectrodes in the motor cortex of a 52-year-old individual with tetraplegia. Brain-machine-interface training was done for 13 weeks with the goal of controlling an anthropomorphic prosthetic limb with seven degrees of freedom (three-dimensional translation, three-dimensional orientation, one-dimensional grasping). The participant's ability to control the prosthetic limb was assessed with clinical measures of upper limb function. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01364480.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participant was able to move the prosthetic limb freely in the three-dimensional workspace on the second day of training. After 13 weeks, robust seven-dimensional movements were performed routinely. Mean success rate on target-based reaching tasks was 91·6% (SD 4·4) versus median chance level 6·2% (95% CI 2·0-15·3). Improvements were seen in completion time (decreased from a mean of 148 s [SD 60] to 112 s [6]) and path efficiency (increased from 0·30 [0·04] to 0·38 [0·02]). The participant was also able to use the prosthetic limb to do skilful and coordinated reach and grasp movements that resulted in clinically significant gains in tests of upper limb function. No adverse events were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With continued development of neuroprosthetic limbs, individuals with long-term paralysis could recover the natural and intuitive command signals for hand placement, orientation, and reaching, allowing them to perform activities of daily living.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Institutes of Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, and UPMC Rehabilitation Institute.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Collinger
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wodlinger
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Elizabeth C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Tyler-Kabara
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Angus J C
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McMorland
authors.forename: Meel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velliste
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Boninger
authors.forename: Andrew B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D062207:Brain-Computer Interfaces; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000628:therapy*