A brain–spine "digital bridge" lets a man with paralysis walk naturally
Wireless brain implants decoding movement intention, linked to spinal cord stimulation, let a participant with chronic tetraplegia stand, walk and climb stairs, with some recovery persisting even when the system was off.
What happened
A participant who had been paralysed for about a decade after a cycling-related spinal cord injury received two wireless electrocorticography implants over the motor cortex and an implanted spinal cord stimulator. Decoding algorithms translated his movement intentions into stimulation patterns in real time, so he could control his leg muscles by thinking about moving them. He walked over uneven ground and climbed stairs, and neurological rehabilitation with the system led to improvements that remained when it was switched off.
Why it matters
Earlier spinal stimulation systems ran preprogrammed patterns. Putting the brain back in control made walking more natural and adaptable, and suggests that the system can help reorganize surviving nerve connections.
Caveats
This was a single participant who had some earlier experience with spinal stimulation. The surgery is extensive, and results in larger groups and over longer periods are needed.
Walking naturally after spinal cord injury using a brain–spine interface
Read at Nature ↗