A brain implant helped a man with paralysis walk more naturally

Restoring a communication link between the brain and spine enables more control over movement

A biking accident left 40-year-old Gert-Jan paralyzed by a spinal cord injury. Here, he and a researcher put a brain-spine interface that has restored some of his ability to walk through its paces.

A system that restores communication between the brain and spine has enabled a man paralyzed by a spinal cord injury to regain near-natural walking ability.

Once the patient’s brain activity was decoded, the brain-spine interface took mere minutes to calibrate, after which the man reported natural-feeling control over movements. He still needs crutches but can easily navigate ramps and steps, surpassing gains from previous treatments.