(David Grossman/ Popular Mechanics) — Using only his brain signals, a paralyzed French man was able to operate, maneuver, and walk in a whole-body robotic exoskeleton. While the four-limb system isn’t ready for clinical applications yet, and will require improvements before that point, researchers call the early results “promising” in a press release.
Some might call them astonishing.
The man, who suffers from tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, moved all four of his paralyzed limbs using his brain. Researchers emphasize the experimental nature of their work.
“Ours’ is the first semi-invasive wireless brain-computer system designed for long term use to activate all four limbs,” says Alim-Louis Benabid, President of the Clinatec Executive Board, a CEA laboratory, and Professor Emeritus from the University of Grenoble, France, in the press statement. (…)