Neural Interface Holds Promise in Restoring Movement to Paralyzed Limbs
From: R&D Magazine - 11/09/2016

An international team of researchers has developed a streamlined system that
could be a viable treatment alternative for patients suffering from spinal
cord injuries.

A new neural interface bypasses the damaged spine's air gap and transmits
motor signals from the brain to the legs wirelessly.

A pair of monkeys with spinal injuries were used as test subjects. The
researchers implanted a pill-sized electrode in the monkey's brains so it
could record the signals produced by the creature's motor cortex.

Next, a wireless neurosensor transmitted these recorded signals to an
external computer that decodes them, which this information then is sent back
to a spinal stimulator placed in the monkey's lumbar spine right below the
area of injury.

Results had shown this technology was able to instantly restore nearly normal
movement to their legs even though the animals suffered from spinal lesions
that would have prevented them from regaining functional control over their
legs for at least a month.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.rdmag.com/article/2016/11/neural-interface-holds-promise-restoring-movement-paralyzed-limbs

Links:
New neural interface restores severed spinal connections without wires
https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/09/new-neural-interface-restores-severed-spinal-connections-without

Researchers restore leg movement in primates using wireless neural interface
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/bu-rrl110716.php

Brain and Spine Implants Let a Paralyzed Monkey Walk Again
http://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/bionics/brain-and-spine-implants-let-a-paralyzed-monkey-walk-again

A brain–spine interface alleviating gait deficits after spinal cord injury in primates
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v539/n7628/full/nature20118.html

Watch Paralyzed Primates Walk Again Using a Brain-Spine Interface (with video 2:05)
https://www.ecnmag.com/blog/2016/11/watch-paralyzed-primates-walk-again-using-brain-spine-interface

Brain-Spinal Interface Appears to Restore Leg Movement in Primates
http://www.rehabpub.com/2016/11/brain-spinal-interface-appears-restore-leg-movement-primates

Related:
Spanish Researchers Design Child Exoskeleton
http://www.rdmag.com/news/2016/06/spanish-researchers-design-child-exoskeleton

Spinal Stimulation Gets Paralyzed Patients Moving
http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/spinal-stimulation-gets-paralyzed-patients-moving