Service Description

A variety of neurological conditions can lead to severe paralysis, even to typical locked-in syndrome (LIS), where patients have retained their mental abilities and consciousness, but suffer from complete paralysis (quadriplegia and anarthria), except for vertical eye movement control. Such conditions are caused by an insult to the ventral pons, most commonly an infarct, haemorrhage, or trauma, such as stroke, encephalitis, Guillain Barré syndrome as well as neurodegenerative diseases of motor neurons, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in which the patient gradually loses control of his/her muscles and, consequently, the ability to communicate.

Although there is no official documentation of the precise percentage of the people suffering from locked-in syndrome, it is a fact that LIS is a rare syndrome. Nevertheless, there is no proven effective treatment, while ten year survival rates as high as 85% have been reported.

As these patients maintain their mental functions unaffected, their motor impairment and social exclusion often lead to depression and resignation. As a consequence, providing even minimal means of communication and control can substantially improve the quality of life of both patients and their families.

The project’s goal is to design and implement an integrated brain computer-interface for the navigation of a robot car and a wheelchair, based solely on the user’s brain signals. We are envisioning a reliable system, affordable and easy to use, in order to be used efficiently by patients with severe paraplegia or locked-in syndrome and operated easily by a healthcare provider, without the need of an IT specialist.