NEWRON Vol V, Issue XII

[Natan Davidovics]

NeuroEngineering Weekly Review of News

With the threat of government shutdown looming, we know that many readers must be losing sleep over concerns of the publicly funded NEWRON taking a hiatus as well. But fear not since we have prepared for just this situation by having lab monkeys ready to take the place of NEWRON editors.  It might do the US government some good to follow our lead.  

-Thanks to Dr. Thakor for submitting an article this week.

 

Interesting NeuroEngineering links:

Hopkins Neuroengineering web site: http://neuroengineering.bme.jhu.edu
New job blog: http://neuroengjobs.blogspot.com/
Blog for administrative questions: http://neuroengineering.blogspot.com
NEWRON on the web!: http://groups.google.com/group/newron?lnk=srg&pli=1

Enjoy,
Natan Davidovics
NEWRON Publishing Corporation

BrainGate neural interface reaches 1,000-day milestone 

http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2011/03/braingate

An investigational implanted system being developed to translate brain signals toward control of assistive devices has allowed a woman with paralysis to accurately control a computer cursor at 2.7 years after implantation, providing a key demonstration that neural activity can be read out and converted into action for an unprecedented length of time.

Technique for Letting Brain Talk to Computers Now Tunes in Speech

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110406192422.htm

 The act of mind reading is something usually reserved for science-fiction movies but researchers in America have used a technique, usually associated with identifying epilepsy, for the first time to show that a computer can listen to our thoughts. n a new study, scientists from Washington University demonstrated that humans can control a cursor on a computer screen using words spoken out loud and in their head, holding huge applications for patients who may have lost their speech through brain injury or disabled patients with limited movement

Major advance for bionic eye

http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2011/apr/bionic_eye.html

UNSW researchers have unveiled the microchip which is expected to power Australia’s first bionic eye. The new, 98-channel microchip, now undergoing preliminary lab testing, was a major step towards the goal of a functional bionic eye. “This is a remarkable new microchip that has brought an Australian retinal implant much closer to reality,” they said. “At only five square millimetres, the device is tiny but represents a significant advance in nerve stimulation technology."