The overall goal of this testbed is to develop neuromuscular prosthetic systems that can reanimate paralyzed limbs. We have developed a unique interface technology called the BION that is already accelerating rehabilitation, reducing disability and preventing complications in stroke and spinal cord injury survivors whose muscles tend to atrophy from disuse.

BIONs are wireless electrical stimulators that can be injected into muscles and adjacent to nerves. They are powered and individually controlled via an RF magnetic field from a small external controller that can be worn by the patient. BIONs enable therapists to create precise, reproducible patterns of muscle activation that patients can then self-administer at home.

More than 80 BION1s have been implanted in more than 35 patients thus far. The BION2, currently under development, will be able sense the intent to move based on electrical activity that it records from other functioning muscles and the motion itself to enable closed-loop control. Our long-term goals for this prosthetic system include a cortical interface that will allow the user to control reach and grasp movements based on neural activity recorded from the motor cortex.

For more information, please visit http://ami.usc.edu/projects/ami/projects/bion/