Mind-Controlled Wheelchair Brings New Freedom to People With Paralysis

US News Nov. 18, 2022, at 11:14 a.m.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter / US News / November 18, 2022


Through an electrode-studded cap placed on their head, several people with quadriplegia -- no function in all four limbs -- were able to produce brain waves that guided their wheelchair through a kind of hospital "obstacle course."

The cap captures a person's brain signals, which are translated into the wheelchair's movements through a computer program, explained senior researcher José del R. Millán, a professor of neurology and chair of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.


The patient simply thinks about moving the body parts they no longer control -- an arm or a hand, a leg or a foot.

"This intent will be translated into the actual commands for the motors of the wheelchair that will make the wheels move at different speeds so that if one is faster than the other, then it will turn into that in the opposite direction," Millán said. "So if the right is faster than the left, it will automatically turn towards the left and the other way around."


To read the entire article, please click here >


Elderberry juice benefits

August 12, 2025
Elderberry juice may be a potent tool for weight management and enhancing metabolic health, according to a recent study. A clinical trial found that drinking 12 ounces of elderberry juice daily for a week causes positive changes in the gut microbiome and improves glucose tolerance and fat oxidation.

AI predicts cancer responses to treatment

August 11, 2025
Now researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed an AI model able to incorporate visual and language-based information. After training on 50 million medical images of standard pathology slides and more than 1 billion pathology-related texts.

Virtual Yoga Program

August 10, 2025
Cleveland Clinic researchers found that a 12-week therapeutic virtual yoga program for chronic low back pain can be a feasible, safe and effective treatment option.

Lower disability after stroke

August 7, 2025
Slightly overweight stroke survivors have a lower risk of sustaining disabilities. New research adds another aspect to the obesity paradox but also highlights the importance of considering the population's normal when recommending best practices.

Caregivers experience decline in well-being

August 6, 2025
New research from the University of Zurich, based on data from more than 28,000 caregivers in three countries, shows that the longer individuals spend caring for loved ones, the more their well-being suffers, regardless of the caregiving context.

A healthy diet

August 5, 2025
New research shows that adopting a healthy diet can reduce the severity of chronic pain, presenting an easy and accessible way for sufferers to better manage their condition.

Centre for children with special needs

August 3, 2025
A new early years centre dedicated to supporting children under five with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is due to open in early 2025.Following the successful pilot of an early years special educational needs centre in Gloucester, Gloucestershire County Council has given national SEND provision charity Dingley's Promise a three-year contract.

People With Intellectual Disabilities

July 31, 2025
People with intellectual disabilities experience functional assessments as scary and oppressive. Assessment reinforced the stigma associated with having an intellectual disability and, to a lesser extent, claiming benefits. Individual, structural and policy levels interventions are discussed.

Students with disabilities in education

July 30, 2025
The number of students with disabilities in Higher Education is increasing, but research shows that they continue to face significant challenges for equitable participation. This study aims to deepen our understanding of these challenges through the perceptions of students with disabilities themselves.

Nutritional Work With Intellectual Disabilities

July 29, 2025
Adequate food is a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for a healthy life for all, including people with intellectual disabilities (Kolset et al. 2018; United Nations 2006). However, obesity and malnutrition are prevalent health challenges in this population for many reasons (Flygare Wallen et al. 2018; World Health Organization 2011).