BCI robotic hand control reaches new finger-level milestone
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Dec-2025 01:11 ET (21-Dec-2025 06:11 GMT/UTC)
Carnegie Mellon researchers bring noninvasive EEG-based BCI one step closer to everyday use by demonstrating real-time brain decoding of individual finger movement intentions and control of a dexterous robotic hand at the finger level.
A new study is the first to map changes to specific gut bacteria based on interactions between human microbes and insect-killing chemicals observed in the lab and an animal model. The analysis showed that over a dozen pesticides influence human gut bacteria growth patterns, affect how gut microorganisms process nutrients and camp out inside some bacteria. Experiments in mice showed that one gut bacteria species provides some protection against pesticide toxicity, hinting at the possibility for a probiotic approach to preventing some of their damaging health effects.
Van Andel Institute scientists and collaborators have discovered a potential treatment target that may re-energize dysfunctional or “exhausted” immune cells in their fight against cancer.
The target is an immune checkpoint called PTGIR, which regulates the number and cancer-fighting powers of T cells, the soldiers of the immune system. Too much PTGIR puts a brake on T cells and reduces their ability to release cancer-killing molecules.
The findings, published in the journal Nature Immunology, could help improve cancer immunotherapies by paving the way for new immune checkpoint inhibitors or engineered T cell therapies that block PTGIR signaling and re-invigorate T cells.