After almost three years of training with the dot and exoskeleton, we started training with a robotic arm in a virtual environment for some time. Then, we transitioned to the real thing I always wanted: a real robot arm. That was the main reason I entered the clinical trial. I did think the speech decoding was very cool, but the robot arm was more appealing to my ears.

I always wished to be able to do my things, feed, drink, and do basic stuff for myself, and so I saw the opportunity with the robot arm coming my way.

It was AMAZING! I started doing basic tasks, reaching out, to see how well my control was, with five, I don’t know how to define it, imaginary /attempted movements, let’s stick with that. I have been saying “imagine” gestures, but I move my nerves behind the scenes.

This is how I control the robot arm:

• To go to the right side. I attempt to move my right thumb.
• To go to the left side. I attempt to move my left thumb. 
• To go backward, I attempt to move my head back and forth.
• I attempt to squeeze/tighten my left leg muscle to go forward. 
• To go upwards, I attempt to move my lips
• To go downwards, I attempt to move my tongue.
  
  Making the transition means entering into rotation and grasping mode. I have to attempt to move my two middle fingers simultaneously. When the switch happens, you can see the big screen, where a rectangular shape is drawn. It switches from the color red to the color blue, which indicates that the robot can now rotate and grab objects. I use the same gestures in the rotation and grasping mode. The robot arm can be used in two ways: down position and lateral position.

First, let me start going downwards with my arm.

• To rotate clockwise, I attempt to squeeze/tighten the muscles in my left leg.
• To rotate counter-clockwise, I attempt to move my head
• To move forward toward an object while in the switch mode, I attempt to move my tongue
• To move away from an object while on the switch mode, I attempt to move my lips.
• I attempt to move my right thumb to close my fingers and grab the object while in the switch state.
• To open my fingers and release the object, I attempt to move my left thumb while in the switch state.

I use the same steps to take this in a lateral position, although it is a little different. It doesn’t rotate, but it bends. Imagine bending your hand from the elbow. Well, the robot arm does, sort of, like that. It bends like a curve, just like bending your elbow. 

• To bend it towards me while on the switch state, I attempt to squeeze/tighten my left leg muscles
• I attempt to move my head to bend it away from me while on the switch state.
• To go forward toward the object while in the switch state, I attempt to move my tongue.
• To move away from the object while in the switch state, I attempt to move my lips.
• I attempt to move my right thumb to close my fingers and grab the object while in the switch state.
• To open my fingers and release the object, I attempt to move my left thumb while in the switch state.