Transferring brain signals from monkeys to help paralyzed humans regain hand movement
Official title: Monkey-to-human transfer of trained iBCI decoders through nonlinear alignment of neural population dynamics
Funded at Northwestern University at Chicago · NIH-10791477 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help people with quadriplegia use brain-computer interfaces to control their hand movements more accurately, by learning from how trained monkeys move their hands.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 6, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $440,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21NS135413-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10791477 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with quadriplegia who are seeking innovative solutions to regain hand function.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not involve paralysis or those who are not candidates for brain surgery may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel method to enhance brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for individuals with quadriplegia. By utilizing advanced machine learning techniques, the project aims to transfer decoder information from trained monkeys to humans, allowing for more precise control of hand movements. The approach focuses on understanding the neural activity patterns associated with movement and aligning them to improve the functionality of BCIs. This could potentially enable paralyzed individuals to regain some control over their hand movements through advanced technology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the ability of paralyzed patients to control their hand movements, enhancing their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of transferring decoder information is innovative, similar machine learning techniques have shown promise in other areas of brain-computer interface development.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miller, Lee — Northwestern University at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Miller, Lee
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.