Quadriplegic Man Walks Again Thanks to Mind-Controlled Exoskeleton
Brain-controlled exoskeletons like this one could return mobility to those suffering from quadriplegia.
In the vast majority of cases, quadriplegia is caused by physical or degenerative damage to the spinal cord and not the limbs themselves. In theory, that means that the brain’s motor cortex and the body’s muscles are in working order, and could be used again if the spinal cord could be repaired. Unfortunately, that’s rarely possible, because the cells that make up the spinal cord are too specialized to divide and create new cells. Research is being done in that area, particularly with stem cells. But in the meantime, brain-controlled exoskeletons like this one could return mobility to those suffering from quadriplegia.
This exoskeleton was successfully tested by a 30-year-old Frenchman named Thibault in an experimental trial conducted by Clinatec and the University of Grenoble. Thibault became paralyzed after a 15 meter (49 foot) fall in a night club four years ago. That fall resulted in a spinal cord injury that would likely make it impossible for Thibault to ever walk or move his arms again. But his brain’s motor cortex was still functional, which has made it possible for him to control this 65kg (143lb) exoskeleton.
To make that possible, two implants were surgically placed next to his motor cortex. Each of those implants has 64 electrodes that can read electrical activity in the motor cortex. That activity is sent to a nearby computer, which analyzes the activity and translates it into muscle movements. Thibault first practiced with the system using a virtual avatar in a video game, and then moved onto the real exoskeleton.
Using the skills he learned with the avatar, Thibault was able to control the robotic exoskeleton with his thoughts in the same way that anyone else controls their body. He was first able to walk, and then eventually moved his arms—though that was more difficult and less accurate. The plan is to continue to improve this technology to provide better control, but it could be used today to operate wheelchairs and other simple devices.