Severance Hospital has embarked on developing a "bidirectional brain-robot interface" that moves robots using brain signals and relays sensory feedback back to the brain, marking a world first. The goal is to simultaneously restore movement and sensory functions for patients with limb paralysis.
On June 16, the rehabilitation medicine professor team from Severance Hospital and Gangnam Severance Hospital announced their selection for a joint initiative by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. This project will involve approximately 30 billion won (about $22.5 million) in funding, including 20.25 billion won from the national government, by 2032.
The core of the research is the "real-time brain-AI-robot integration system." This system will read the patient's movement intentions directly from brain signals, which will be interpreted by artificial intelligence (AI) to control a full-body exoskeleton robot. Simultaneously, tactile, pressure, and posture information detected by the robot will be sent back to the brain, aiming to achieve "bidirectional control" that goes beyond simple assistance to restore sensory feedback.
Traditionally, rehabilitation therapy has relied on utilizing remaining physical functions or assistive devices. However, the technology to restore the neural circuits connecting movement and sensation has not been clinically realized. The research team is optimistic that this project will overcome such limitations.
Nine institutions are participating in this research, including Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), KAIST, Seoul National University Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, and Pusan National University Hospital. Angel Robotics will oversee the development of the full-body exoskeleton robot, while DGIST will focus on brain connectivity technology, and KAIST will handle AI-based brain signal interpretation. The neurosurgery department at Seoul National University Hospital will be responsible for brain electrode insertion.
Severance Hospital and Gangnam Severance Hospital will serve as the central hub for clinical research, responsible for verifying the clinical suitability of the exoskeleton robot, designing clinical trials, and establishing patient evaluation protocols to validate the practical application for actual patients. Professors Na Dong-wook from Severance Hospital and Choi Won-a from Gangnam Severance Hospital will lead the research.
The development will occur in three phases. From 2026 to 2027, the focus will be on securing high-density cortical invasive electrodes and core technologies. In 2028 to 2029, system integration and clinical trials will be conducted. Finally, from 2030 to 2032, the team plans to complete a medical device that connects the brain interface, AI, and exoskeleton robot through ultra-low-latency communication, aiming for approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and commercialization.
The research team stated, "We will systematically verify the clinical efficacy and safety of engineering technologies to ensure they lead to actual patient treatment, aiming to present a treatment paradigm that can fundamentally change the quality of life for patients with limb paralysis."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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