VA Office of Research and Development

The VA Office of Research and Development is advancing a high-performance implanted brain-computer interface (BCI) to improve independence for Veterans and others with tetraplegia or inability to speak due to ALS, spinal cord injury, or stroke. The project enhances deep learning decoders and multi-state gesture decoding, deployed on a battery-powered mobile BCI device for independent home use of computers and touch-enabled devices. Accuracy and usability will be evaluated in participants already enrolled in the BrainGate investigational clinical trial.

The VA Office of Research and Development is conducting a clinical trial to characterize proprioceptive sensations in the missing limb of upper limb amputees using nerve stimulation and to develop advanced controllers for moving a prosthesis. The trial uses Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), applying small electric currents to the nerves, and tests different stimulation placements. The trial is registered as NCT04947462 and is currently recruiting.