Paralyzed Man Uses Own Brainwaves To Walk Again -- No Exoskeleton Required 29
Zothecula writes: A man suffering complete paralysis in both legs has regained the ability to walk again using electrical signals generated by his own brain. Unlike similar efforts that have seen paralyzed subjects walk again by using their own brainwaves to manually control robotic limbs, the researchers say this is the first time a person with complete paralysis in both legs due to spinal cord injury was able to walk again under their own power and demonstrates the potential for noninvasive therapies to restore control over paralyzed limbs.
Cool (Score:3)
Next, we will hear how he was attacked by an inflatable flying shark.
Seriously, this is a pretty radical advance.
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I too had just read the mind-control-shark headline nearby and for a split second mixed the two stories, picturing a walking shark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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Next up: Dancing sharks; https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
And later; Hit me with your pet shark! By Back in Black and White; https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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"They can fix a spine, but not on VA benefits, not in this economy."
This is actually seriously cool - bypassing the broken wiring (or extending unbroken wiring). Obviously first baby steps but give it a decade or two, could be very, very interesting.
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The above post is incoherent and unintelligible.
It reads like a SCIgen paper.
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Dude, don't drink *and* do drugs *and* post at the same time. You can drink and do drugs, or you can do drugs and post, but combining them gets messy very fast, as your post illustrates in lurid detail.
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Technically, I do like my beer and whiskey, but I do not do drugs. Enjoy your sleep.
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Did you forget to check the 'post anonymously' box?
Read the comments from the source (Score:1)
Re:Read the comments from the source (Score:5, Informative)
Did you actually read the article? They were able to stimulate the nerves in the legs by interpreting the brain waves detected by an electroencephalograph. They acknowledged that there is no feedback to the brain (as of yet) to restore feeling. This has nothing to do with nerve regeneration.
Diabetic neuropathy is the result of damaged nerves from too much glucose. I, like many other diabetics, face it as a real possibility. I also acknowledge that the cause for DN is from the high glucose levels damaging the nerves. Regeneration will only delay the inevitable. Instead, they need to find ways to restore proper insulin production and to reverse insulin resistance.
The technique in the article is a first bridge and a monumental step forward to restoring mobility at a time when nerve regeneration isn't yet possible.
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There was an article about trying to repair the nerves in the spine earlier this month.
From last week: Damaged Spinal Cord "Rewires" Itself With Help of Electrical Stimulation.
http://science.slashdot.org/st... [slashdot.org]
Much work still to be done.
Re: Read the comments from the source (Score:1)
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- Igor Sikorsky
I think I heard about this (Score:2)
John Wayne starred in the movie. I remember Dan Daley playing a ukulele and singing "I'm gonna move that toe" - probably was meant as an inspiration, but I think it just kept annoying the heck out of the paralyzed guy until he got motivated enough to walk again just so he could punch the ukulele player in the mouth.
Wait, we're not talking about something that happened in the 1940s?
Solve the real problem (Score:2)
"We're gonna connect you back up to the nerves below the back break."
"Finally! Thank you, doctor!"
"There you go, you can walk again. Aww, don't cry!'
"My legs aren't what I wanted you to hook the nerves to!"