Next-Generation Spinal Implants Help People With Severe Paralysis Walk, Cycle, and Swim (science.org) 31
sciencehabit shares a report from Science.org: Three men paralyzed in motorcycle accidents have become the first success stories for a new spinal stimulation device that could enable faster and easier recoveries than its predecessors. The men, who had no sensation or control over their legs, were able to take supported steps within 1 day of turning on the electrical stimulation, and could stroll outside with a walker after a few months, researchers report today. The nerve-stimulating device doesn't cure spinal cord injury, and it likely won't eliminate wheelchair use, but it raises hopes that the assistive technology is practical enough for widespread use.
For now, sending commands to the device is cumbersome. Users must select their desired movement on a tablet, which sends Bluetooth commands to a transmitter worn around the waist. That device must be positioned next to a 'pulse generator' implanted in the abdomen, which then activates electrodes along the spine. Setting up to use the stimulation takes 5 to 10 minutes. But the next generation of devices should allow users to activate the pulse generator by giving voice commands to a smartwatch. The company behind the technology plans to test this newer mobility system in a multisite clinical trial of 70 to 100 participants that the team hopes will lead to U.S. regulatory approval. The researchers reported their findings in the journal Nature Medicine.
For now, sending commands to the device is cumbersome. Users must select their desired movement on a tablet, which sends Bluetooth commands to a transmitter worn around the waist. That device must be positioned next to a 'pulse generator' implanted in the abdomen, which then activates electrodes along the spine. Setting up to use the stimulation takes 5 to 10 minutes. But the next generation of devices should allow users to activate the pulse generator by giving voice commands to a smartwatch. The company behind the technology plans to test this newer mobility system in a multisite clinical trial of 70 to 100 participants that the team hopes will lead to U.S. regulatory approval. The researchers reported their findings in the journal Nature Medicine.
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Re:Maybe this can be used to... (Score:5, Informative)
Or the many more [health.com] people paralysed [nih.gov] by COVID itself [theconversation.com], as your first link actually describes.
Re:Maybe this can be used to... (Score:5, Insightful)
The vaccines have well-documented but very rare side effects. COVID-19 has much more common and severe effects - and most notably, unlike the vaccine it is wildly infectious. The choice is obvious to everyone with brain cells or a sense of compassion for others.
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For me the issue is that there wasn't a choice of vaccine until after it had already screwed up my health. I understand the rush to get people vaccinated, but the UK has now fallen behind the EU anyway.
While for the vast majority of people the vaccines are safe and effective, I think it's fair to say that the effects on people with existing conditions were not properly investigated before they were offered it. It might only be 1 in 100,000 people who have a bad reaction, but I'm one of them.
Re: Maybe this can be used to... (Score:1)
What happened ?
I'm assuming you got the Astrazenica shot ?
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AstraZenica screwed me up, yes. For the 2nd and 3rd doses I got Pfizer which was fine.
Re: Maybe this can be used to... (Score:1)
Yes, but what does "screwed up" mean ? I had two doses of AZ and apart from a few hours of chills from the first shot (that I mainly slept through) I was fine.
My third Pfizer had a bit of a sore arm for a day, and that was it.
Just wondering what symptoms you had and what your doctor said ?
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Not saying what you experienced wasn't real, but it's worth noting that up to 76% of adverse effects [jamanetwork.com] from COVID vaccines are actually nocebo responses, and not caused by the vaccine itself.
Re:Maybe this can be used to... (Score:5, Insightful)
You have to look at the overall benefit. Some people die in car accidents, does it mean cars should be banned? Don't you care about human life? More people have been paralyzed in car accidents than covid vaccines, yet you haven't campaigned against cars.
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With a car, the driver has a choice.
With vaccines, choice is either removed, or being removed.
You have to look at the overall benefit.
"Overall benefit" as compared to the less than 1% risk of getting any serious covid symptoms, and even less chance of ending up in hospital (same as with flu)?
There's a lot of data supporting vitamin d, but sadly marketers and quacks at bigpharma have a tight grip over the media and governments.
Thousands of scientists and doctors (even nobel laureates) are now stating that the data published for vaccines has been m [rumble.com]
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You have a choice not to take the vaccine. There was no vaccine mandate unless you wanted to go to a public place -- and that too only in certain states. You can choose to stay home. I mean, if you want to go to work you have to go in a vehicle or walk (even pedestrians get in traffic accidents.)
You can find fringe source to say the Earth is flat. Fact is that unvaccinated are dying at 97x rate than vaccinated. 900k covid deaths in the US, and millions worldwide. Yet you think the whole world joined in on a
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I realise 76.3% of all stats are made-up on the spot, but that's not the case for every country.
In the UK for example, the vaccinated are more than twice as likely to be hospitalised [service.gov.uk] (particularly over 50s), and if you're over 80, 4-times more likely to die from covid even when triple-vaccinated as compared to unvaccinated.
As several professors and scientists at various medical journals have been pointing out, yet silenced by both media and even online, the data doesn't make sense, and pharmaceutical compan
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From your link:
Further (it would have been helpful if you had specified Table 11 on pa
Re: Maybe this can be used to... (Score:1)
Yes, except where your stupid conspiracy theory falls apart is that the US is a mere 4% or so of the global population.
In a global pandemic, myriads of other countries have developed their own data and methods.
We *know* mask wearing and vaccinations cut down transmission and case numbers. We also *know* there's no evidence to show miracle treatments like vit D or horse wormer work.
The world doesn't revolve around you buckwheat.
Walk, cycle, swim (Score:3)
I know non-disabled people who can't swim or even cycle .. maybe they can use this too. Heck maybe it can be used to know Kung Fu.
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I know non-disabled people who can't swim or even cycle .. maybe they can use this too. Heck maybe it can be used to know Kung Fu.
https://youtu.be/0YhJxJZOWBw?t... [youtu.be]
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Okay, fine, but can we put them in Europe?
Poser scientists. (Score:2)
The J-man was helping the paralyzed walk again before it was cool. ;)
Re: J-man helped paralyzed walk again before (Score:1)
But he couldn't fix wankers, so the Romans made him test their new telephone pole invention.
Sounds like a rubbish UI to me (Score:3)
WTF. Being dependent on touch or voice commands for your own body's motor function?
Re:Sounds like a rubbish UI to me (Score:5, Insightful)
Yep. Pretty brutal. Certainly if you realize that the alternative is... no movement at all...
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It's a proof of concept for the motor control part. The other part, mental control, is another huge problem that needs to be solved.
It's a major step in the right direction, pun intended.
Israeli lab spinal cords restore mice mobility (Score:1)
The device's name is (Score:3)
Spinal Tap