Work of a Model System Researcher and UMPC Researchers Appeared on 60 Minutes

Dr. Michael Boninger, director of University of Pittsburgh Spinal Cord Injury Model System, along with colleagues Dr. Jennifer Collinger and Dr. Andrew Schwartz of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) published research in The Lancet that was the focus of a CBS “60 Minutes” report. In their year-long research on brain computer interface, a 53-year-old woman with quadriplegia learned to control a robotic arm through her own thoughts. Brain activity was recorded through surgically implanted electrodes, and a decoder allowed signals to move the robotic arm exhibiting 7-Dimensional control and showing significant function gains on the Action Research Arm Test. She also used the robotic arm, wrist and fingers to feed herself chocolate, her project goal. The 60 Minutes episode that features this story aired on CBS Dec. 30th at 7:00pm ET.