The Next Evolution of Human Capability: Merging Humans & Robots | Connor Glass | TEDxBoston

Summary

The speaker discusses the exciting potential of human-machine interfaces, particularly focusing on muscle-machine interfaces (MMI) as a way to augment or restore lost human limb function. Inspired by sci-fi portrayals of human-robot integration, the speaker, a medical professional, explains how MMI, which detects electrical signals from muscles, can enable amputees and people with mobility impairments to regain function. Unlike invasive brain-computer interfaces, MMI offers a safer, more immediate solution, with real-world applications in prosthetics, exoskeletons, and even virtual reality.

Takeaways

• 😀 Muscle-machine interfaces (MMI) offer a promising solution for people with disabilities, helping to restore or augment physical function.
• 😀 The technology uses electrical signals from muscles, which are much stronger and easier to detect than brain signals, making it more practical for controlling robotic limbs.
• 😀 Unlike brain-computer interfaces, MMIs are a safer, more accessible alternative that could be available sooner for patients with mobility impairments.
• 😀 Despite advancements in robotics, many individuals with disabilities still do not have access to effective robotic solutions in everyday life due to issues with the human-machine interface.
• 😀 Current prosthetics and exoskeletons are often impractical for real-world use, with many patients not even attempting to use them.
• 😀 The key challenge in robotic limb use is the inability to translate technology from a lab environment to practical, real-world applications for patients.
• 😀 Phantom limb sensations in amputees can be harnessed to control robotic limbs by detecting electrical activity from the residual limb's muscles.
• 😀 At Phantom Neuro, a minimally invasive MMI system records muscle signals under the skin and wirelessly controls prosthetics or exoskeletons.
• 😀 Research shows that even animals like pigs can control robotic limbs with the help of MMI technology, proving its potential across species.
• 😀 The future of mobility for people with disabilities may involve using muscle signals to control devices like exoskeletons, allowing for improved movement and independence.
• 😀 Radical surgeries to adapt the body for robotic function may become obsolete as MMI technology provides a more intuitive, non-invasive solution for individuals with disabilities.

Q & A

What is the speaker's main focus in this talk?

The speaker's main focus is on the potential of muscle-machine interfaces to improve the lives of people with disabilities by enabling them to control robotic prosthetics or exoskeletons using electrical signals from their muscles.

How does the speaker compare muscle-machine interfaces with brain-computer interfaces?

The speaker argues that muscle-machine interfaces are a safer, more effective, and closer-to-reality solution than brain-computer interfaces. Muscle signals are easier to detect and decode, making them more practical for everyday use, especially for patients with disabilities.

Why does the speaker believe robotic limbs and exoskeletons are not widely used despite existing technology?

The speaker attributes the lack of widespread use to the challenge of human-machine interface—specifically, the difficulty in extracting and utilizing human intent to control robotic systems in a real-world setting, outside of controlled academic environments.

What types of disabilities does the speaker focus on?

The speaker focuses on disabilities such as amputations, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic limb disease, and conditions that progressively reduce mobility in the elderly, all of which limit functional capabilities and currently have no effective solutions for regaining full function.

What kind of technology does the speaker's company, Phantom Neuro, develop?

Phantom Neuro develops a minimally invasive muscle-machine interface that sits under the skin like an implantable armband, recording electrical signals from muscles and wirelessly transmitting them to control robotic prosthetics or exoskeletons.

What is the significance of detecting electrical signals from muscles instead of the brain?

Muscle electrical activity is significantly stronger than brain activity, making it easier to detect and decode. This allows for a more reliable and effective system to control robotic limbs or exoskeletons, especially for people with disabilities.

Can people with amputations still control their phantom limbs through muscle-machine interfaces?

Yes, even people with amputations retain the neural pathways for the lost limbs and can still generate muscle signals that mimic the actions of the missing limb. These muscle signals can be detected and used to control robotic limbs or prosthetics.

What is one example the speaker uses to demonstrate the effectiveness of muscle-machine interfaces?

The speaker uses the example of an amputee who can control a robotic arm using muscle signals from their stump, allowing them to move each individual finger—something they had not been able to do since losing their limb.

What is the broader impact the speaker envisions for people with disabilities?

The speaker envisions a future where people with disabilities can use robotic limbs or exoskeletons to regain lost functionality or augment their capabilities, ultimately improving their quality of life and enabling them to continue living independently.

What does the speaker believe will be obsolete in the future due to these advancements?

The speaker believes that extreme limb surgeries, such as those that attempt to rotate a foot into a knee to control a robotic prosthetic, will become obsolete as muscle-machine interfaces become more advanced and accessible.