Revolutionary Implants Enable Paralyzed Man to Walk Naturally

A man with paralysis has been able to walk naturally again after a medical device was implanted in his brain and spine, creating a direct neurological link between the two. The device tracks intentions for movement, which are wirelessly transferred to a processing unit that a person wears externally, like a backpack. The intentions are translated into commands that the processing unit sends back through the second implant to stimulate muscles. The technology allows for smoother movements and better adaptations to changing terrain, reconnecting two regions of the central nervous system that were interrupted because of a spinal cord injury. The researchers hope to expand the scope of the connection to help people with arm and hand paralysis or who have had a stroke.