Brain Reader Help Man Walk

A paralysed man regained some control over his legs using a brain-reading device.

16:23 28 September 2015

A device, designed to read and interpret brainwaves has been used to stimulate leg muscles, allowing a paralysed man to regain some control over his legs, as confirmed by scientists.

 

The study, which was published in the Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, showed that the man walked about four metres with support.

 

One of the researchers, Dr An Do, said: "We showed that you can restore intuitive, brain-controlled walking after a complete spinal cord injury.

 

"This non-invasive system for leg muscle stimulation is a promising method and is an advance of our current brain-controlled systems that use virtual reality or a robotic exoskeleton."

 

Dr Mark Bacon, from the charity Spinal Research, told the BBC: "This is an interesting early-stage study.

 

"What makes this interesting is the move out of the virtual realm by activating lower-limb muscles in a walking pattern.

 

"In that regard they have been successful. However, independent over-ground walking is still some way off, not least because the issue of maintaining balance hasn't yet been addressed."