For those who’ve suffered a spinal cord injury, it can feel as though there’s no way to communicate. It can feel as though life is essentially over. While no one wants to feel this way, there may be good news on the horizon. New technologies currently being tested may finally offer an easier way for people with these injuries to communicate with their loved ones.
Stanford is leading the research
The technology we’re discussing today involves researchers at Stanford. They are working on a prosthesis that’s controlled by the brain. If it works as planned, it could help people who’ve suffered from catastrophic injuries to better communicate and to regain some amount of motor function. The U.S. FDA has accepted the team’s proposal to test the technology. Today they have permission to work with spinal cord injury victims to work through a thought-controlled computer cursor.
Other teams have worked on similar projects but this is different
It’s true that there have been plenty of research teams that have created and studied computer cursors controlled by the brain. However, none of those teams got their systems to the point of accuracy that the Stanford group has. These Stanford researchers started with monkeys and found that they could correctly tap a target virtually with their cursor controlled by the brain 26 times in half a minute. When using their actual fingers, they hit the target 29 times in half a minute.
They used unique research to create their cursor
In order to get to the point they’re at now, the Stanford researchers looked at brain dynamics responsible for arm movement. They found that by analyzing electrical patterns, there were hundreds of neurons involved when monkeys used their extremities, including arms, hands, and fingers, to reach for a target. Their new goal is to create a keyboard that is thought controlled and that allows people who’ve suffered paralysis to use an electronic wheelchair to get around or a computer to communicate.
You may be eligible for compensation that makes it possible to get the latest assistive technology
For many people who could most benefit from this time of technology, it’s nothing more than a pipe dream. This is because these devices can be prohibitively expensive. That’s where we may be able to help you. If your spinal cord injury was caused by the negligence or recklessness of another person then they may be liable for your injuries. In that case, a personal injury case could result in compensation for your damages.
Those damages may include past medical bills, future estimated medical costs, assistive devices and technology, pain and suffering, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and others. To find out if you’re eligible to file a personal injury case, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 today. We are here to help you. We’ll start with a free legal consultation during which we can assess your options. If we decide to work together, we’ll take your case on a contingency basis which means you don’t pay a cent until we win your case.
