There are 50 million people worldwide that suffers from some sort of spinal cord injuries, marking the potential for this novel technique, and so far the results are very positive.
AI to translate signals
The neural implant «translates» signals from the brain to the spinal cord using Ai, and was developed by scientists from The Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence at Fudan University, they write in a release.
They were implanted during a minimally intrusive surgery by a team of scientists and surgeons at Zhongshan Hospital and Huashan Hospital in Shanghai, lasting only four hours, according to China Daily.
The surgery itself involves implanting a small chip in the skull, connected to two electrodes of about one millimeter wide implanted in the in the brain, that again connects to the spinal cord.
Moving after 24 hours
Within 24 hours of the procedure, patients were able to move and lift their legs, while they were walking upright with the help of harnesses two weeks later.
— For the next step, we plan to optimize technology based on the data we have obtained so that the next batch of patients can experience better and faster recovery, says lead researcher Jia Fumin to China Daily.
The scientists behind the groundbreaking procedure says there is a slight delay in transmitting the signals of around 100 milliseconds, but hope to use the experience gathered from the patients to significantly reduce this reaction time.
— We aim to shrink this delay to a level almost indistinguishable from that of a healthy individual, said Jia to the Daily.
Huge potential for underlying science
The science from these implants could hold potential for other use cases, such controlling prosthetics, interacting seamlessly with computers or improving cognitive functions, writes The Cambridge Network.
— Fudan University’s breakthrough is more than a scientific achievement; it’s a testament to human ingenuity and resilience. For millions worldwide, including thousands in the UK, it offers a glimmer of hope that paralysis may one day be a surmountable challenge, they say.
Read more: Fudan University announcement, China Daily, The Cambridge Network and Interesting Engineering.