Paralysed man plays Guitar Hero using mind control
Computer chip implant allows quadriplegic to move his hand and fingers for first time in six years
A quadriplegic in the US has become the first recipient of a brain implant allowing him to move his fingers again.
Ian Burkhart was left paralysed below his elbows and unable to walk following a diving accident six years ago.
Now, with the help of a computer chip implant and an electronic sleeve, he is able to grasp and move large objects and even play video game Guitar Hero. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"93480","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The implant reads Burkhart's brain signals and decodes them using a computer before stimulating the muscles in his arm via the electrode-covered sleeve.
The system is imprecise and requires incredible levels of concentration from the 24-year-old from Ohio.
"Initially we'd do a short session and I'd feel mentally fatigued and exhausted, like I'd been in a six or seven-hour exam," said Burkhart.
"For 19 years of my life I took it for granted: I think and my fingers move. But with more and more practise it became much easier. It's second nature."
Despite the breakthrough, the new technology is not a cure for paralysis, says the New York Times. Burkhart can use his hand "only when connected to computers in the lab, and the researchers said there was much work to do before the system could provide significant mobile independence", reports the paper.
Nevertheless, Burkhart remained positive. "Right now, it's only in a clinical setting, but with enough people working on it and enough attention, it can be something I can use outside of the hospital, at my home and outside my home and really improve the quality of my life," he said.
The scientists' study, published in the science journal Nature, marks a significant moment in the field of using computers to bypass spinal cord injuries, says the BBC.
"This really provides hope, we believe, for many patients in the future as this technology evolves and matures to help people who have disabilities to allow them to be more functional and more independent," said Ali Rezai, the neurosurgeon who implanted the chip in Burkhart's brain.
"Ten years ago we couldn't do this. Imagine what we can do in another ten."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
American Airlines pilots are warning of a 'significant spike' in safety issues
In the Spotlight The pilot's union listed 'problematic trends' they say are affecting the airline's fleet
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
6 star-spangled presidential libraries to visit
The Week Recommends These institutions provide insight into American leaders
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Nigeria's worsening rate of maternal mortality
Under the radar Economic crisis is making hospitals unaffordable, with women increasingly not receiving the care they need
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How happy is Finland really?
Today's Big Question Nordic nation tops global happiness survey for seventh year in a row with 'focus on contentment over joy'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
How Tehran became the world's nose job capital
Under the radar Iranian doctors raise alarm over low costs, weak regulation and online influence of 'Western beauty standards'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Africa's renewed battle against female genital mutilation
Under the radar Campaigners call for ban in Sierra Leone after deaths of three girls as coast-to-coast convoy prepares to depart
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Argentina: the therapy capital of the world
Under the radar Buenos Aires natives go hungry to pay for psychoanalysis, amid growing instability, anxiety – and societal acceptance
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Does declining birth rate spell doom for Britain?
Today's Big Question Ageing population puts pressure on welfare state, economy and fabric of society, while fertility is rising on populist agendas
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
How a new blood test could revolutionise sepsis diagnosis
The Explainer Early results from ongoing trial suggest faster identification of deadly condition is possible
By The Week Staff Published