Re-Thinking Paralysis

Bioengineering Seminar
A. Bolu Ajiboye, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Case Western Reserve University
Re-thinking Paralysis:
BCIs and FES for Movement Restoration in
Persons with Spinal Cord Injury
Cortically controlled neuroprostheses have long
been posited as the “holy grail” for intracortical
brain-computer-interfaces (iBCIs). The efficacy of
iBCIs has advanced to the point where a small
number of laboratories around the US are now
involved in iBCI trials involving humans with chronic
paralysis. As part of the Braingate2 Clinical Trial, we
at Case Western Reserve University are investigating using iBCIs to control Functional Electrical
Stimulation (FES) systems for restoring functional
arm movements to persons with chronic high
cervical spinal cord injury. This lecture will highlight
a number of our clinical, technological, and scientific
advances towards developing an iBCI controlled FES
arm neuroprosthesis. Additionally, this lecture will
discuss the efficacy of non-microelectrode recording
techniques for extracting movement related
information from cortical signals. Specifically, we
have used arrays of DBS-style depth electrodes to
record from cortical areas not accessible by
traditional microelectrode or electrocorticography
(ECoG) arrays, such as deep within sulci walls of
primary (M1), dorsal premotor (PMd), and insular
cortices. We show grasp related cortical modulation
useful for control of hand neuroprostheses. Finally,
this lecture will briefly discuss hurdles towards
development of chronically implanted clinically
viable iBCI neuroprosthetic systems.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
1:30PM - 2:30PM
Nguyen Engineering Bldg., Rm. 4201
Nguyen Engineering Building
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Ajiboye is an Assistant Professor of
Biomedical Engineering at Case Western
Reserve University. He received his dual BS
degree in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, as well as a minor in Computer
Science, from Duke University (Durham, NC) in
2000. He then received his Masters (2003) and
Doctoral (2008) degrees from Northwestern
University (Evanston, IL). Dr. Ajiboye’s main
research interest is in the development and
control of brain-computer-interface (BCI)
neuroprosthetic technologies for restoring
function to individuals who have experienced
severely debilitating injuries to the nervous
system, such as spinal cord injury and
stroke. Currently, he is interested in understanding at a systems level the relationships
between the firing patterns of multi-neuronal
networks and the kinetic (muscle activity and
force) and kinematic (limb position and
velocity) outputs of these neural systems in the
control of upper-limb movements. The end goal
of his research is to develop BCI systems that
allow for more natural interactions with one’s
surrounding environment, and more natural
control of assistive technologies, such as
artificial limbs and functional electrical
stimulation (FES) based systems.
Dr. Ajiboye has received both a junior and
senior level Career Development Award from
the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. He
received his dual BS degree in Biomedical and
Electrical Engineering, as well as a minor in
Computer Science, from Duke University
(Durham, NC) in 2000. He then received his
Masters (2003) and Doctoral (2008) degrees
from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL).
For any questions please contact Claudia
Borke at cborke@gmu.edu,
(703) 993-4190