Robotic Arm Controlled with Brain Implant

Paralyzed no more! Thats the goal of a team of brilliant scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. They've created a special implant that connects the human brain with a robot. An implant that effectively works the same way our own nervous system does. DNews's Anthony Carboni shows us their amazing work.

Special Thanks to the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

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[acarboni]

My brother's been paraplegic since a car accident a few years back. I genuinely believe I'll see him walk again- I think this technology is going to be perfected and implemented in our lifetime.

[fantasyxmimi]

Okay, I get that technology is scary. I don't want to live in a world where robots have the majority of work and they do a bunch of stuff that we don't have to, or where you can just go to walmart and be like Oh! Leg implant for sale, let me just buy this cause my actual leg can't kick through a wall, BUT this woman deserves to have mobile limbs! Something like this is just so great for people in her situation!

[acarboni]

On the other side of that coin, I think it's part of our responsibility- and our nature- to ask questions like that from the get-go. It's important to really examine the implications of a technology before you implement it.

[maxburton]

That last bit where you talked about giving up a part of yourself to become better at something you love got me thinking about peoples' roles in society with jobs and shit. I bet the average individual would have a more specific skill set. I see artificial augments being a wee bit expensive so i would imagine most people would choose to have the one augment they buy help them master a particular thing that interests them. You could tell someone's career by looking at them

[Marie-Annelise]

I go to Pitt and I didn't even know this! This is so cool!

[RonZakay]

Please do a show about quantum computing and optimization.

[acarboni]

I think there's a difference between that sort of high level, figurative thought and instinct-level impluses your brain uses to move your limbs, but that's just my assumption. That's an interesting question.

[llgla]

If giving ourselves bionic limps and organs become the norm, "Ghost in the shell" would happen

[blackthorn]

I'd get as many prosthetics as possible. A robot arm or leg can't get sick

[hilmohilmic]

Well, actually even now we can detect with MRI scanners if someone is sleeping, so probably there would be some mechanism that will stop her limbs from being moved during a sleep.

[BRonSports]

That would be very interesting indeed. Augmented arms and limbs would be really crazy to deal with. Here's to hoping.

[lalalaiambored]

They already have the olympics and the special olympics - I can totally see the special olympics evolving into the "cyborg olympics". So awesome!!!

[CookingwithQ]

as someone with my own severe physical disability I WANT THIS ARM

[idgladly]

I really wish the theme noise wasn't so loud. or that your guys recording would be louder.

[Listener]

Dear DNewschannel, your videos are very interesting and i really enjoy watching your vids. I just have a question.

Would you know if there's gonna be technology in the future, like a circuit board that you can transfer your own conciousness to? or if any research within the subject exists?

[pyroshadow]

There have been videos where they have attached the arm to someone to the nerves, I think it was in south america.

[LiebsterFeind]

I was thinking the exact same thing. :)

That and the fact they are already struggling with that "enhanced human" problem in the Olympics when that athlete with the artificial lower legs competed.

[Elround]

Many people have done things, that others think there is "no point" for. There is also a large population of body modifying cultures among the world (in both the third and 1st world). Do we need phones when we can talk?

I'd advocate being very careful and to check the pros and cons, rewards vs risks, to those in the near to distant future when it comes to enhancing modifications.

It's great to see that beautiful DARPA arm prosthesis being used with a B.M.I and improving someones life. ^^

[NippleGuard]

This hand + a freaking cannon = REAL LIFE SUPER HEROES!!!

[HiiroRocker]

I would love to have an implant that allows me to download information directly to my brain, such as new languages, or athletic skills like parkour and martial arts.