Brain-Computer Interface Implant for Severe Communication Disability

Locked-In Syndrome (LIS) is a devastating condition in which a person has lost the ability to communicate due to motor impairment, while being mentally intact. For people affected by this severe communication impairment, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) may be the only solution that allows these people to start a conversation, ask questions, or request assistance (i.e. self-initiated communication). To-date, spelling was accomplished at a rate of 2-3 letters per minute with a predecessor device (the Medtronic Activa PC+S). To improve BCI performance, the current protocol will use the Medtronic Summit System, which offers a rechargeable battery and improved signal quality relative to Activa PC+S. Using signals from the motor hand/arm and/or motor mouth/face area, the investigators will investigate different avenues to improve the speed of communication using the Summit System. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety of the Summit System when used to chronically record subdural electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals in a BCI for use by patients with LIS in patients' homes. The secondary objective will be to evaluate the efficacy of the Summit System as a long-term source of ECoG signals for a BCI capable of allowing participants to control alternative and augmentative communication software in patients' homes.