Brain Implants Help Paralyzed Man Walk Again By Simply Thinking About It
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
Alignment
Gert-Jan Oskam was just 28 years old when a cycling accident damaged his spinal cord in 2011. The injury resulted in paralysis of his legs and a partial impairment of movement in his arms. Now, thanks to electronic brain implants, the 40-year-old Dutch man can stand, walk, and even climb stairs through just the power of his thoughts.
The groundbreaking procedure, unveiled in the journal Nature in May 2023, was performed in July 2021 by Professor Jocelyne Bloch. It involved bypassing the injured sections by creating a "digital bridge" between Mr. Oskam's brain and his spinal cord.
Dr. Bloch, a neurosurgeon at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, began by inserting two electronic implants in the area of the brain that controls movement. A third implant was placed in Oskam's spinal cord.
The brain implants use wireless technology to transmit and read Oskam's thoughts — detectable as brain signals — to two sensors attached to a helmet he wears. An artificial intelligence decoder developed by the team converts the signals into commands. It then sends them to move the legs and foot muscles through the implant placed around Oskam's spinal cord. The researchers say that after just a few weeks of training, Oskam could stand and walk with the aid of a walker. He even regained some control over his legs without using the device.
"For 12 years, I've been trying to get back my feet," Oskam said. "Now I have learned how to walk normal, natural."
Though promising, the procedure is still in its early stages. It will take many years before it becomes widely available to paralyzed patients. The researchers also need to reduce the size of the hardware needed to run the technology. Currently, Oskam carries it in a backpack. Once perfected, they plan to use it to restore arm movement as well.
Credit: Smithsonianmag.com, CBSnews.com, BBC.com
Get the Workbook for this article!
Workbook contains: Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
51 Comments
- kegifysogyla10 monthscool
- wyattc10 monthsCool!
potterhead2244311 monthsThat is Crazy! Can you imagine not being able to walk and then learning how to walk again?
missem11 monthsThat is NUTS!!! I didn't know they could do that 😯- wyattc10 monthsMe neither
slothzfrevr11 monthsThat's so sad I'm glad we are alive now when there's things we can do about severe injuries
tiger12994511 monthsbro, with this technology people can change the world, even help people, like this man, walk ounce more. so cool.:p- tiger12994511 monthsthis is great for the future
nam090911 monthssooo cool omg
unicornspider11 monthsOh that's cool, I've been hearing a lot about new inventions that are being made for the brain. There should be a machine that shows images of what you are thinking :)
mm45637 monthsThat would be more scary- missem11 monthsThat would be crazy!!!
billythepony11 monthsI agree! A mind reading machine! Or a machine to take u back in time!
- lucario80011 monthsAmazing!
