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I only have to think about movement and
I
only
have
to
think
about
movement
and
I can start and stop like stop now.
I
can
start
and
stop
like
stop
now
These small steps open a new chapter in
These
small
steps
open
a
new
chapter
in
medical technology.
medical
technology
Gertyan was paralyzed in a cycling
Gertyan
was
paralyzed
in
a
cycling
accident 12 years ago. He was told he
accident
12
years
ago
He
was
told
he
would never walk again.
would
never
walk
again
[Music]
Music
But for the first time doctors bridged
But
for
the
first
time
doctors
bridged
the damaged spinal cord with wireless
the
damaged
spinal
cord
with
wireless
digital implants that turn his thoughts
digital
implants
that
turn
his
thoughts
into action with life-changing results.
into
action
with
life-changing
results
I promised my father to walk again now
I
promised
my
father
to
walk
again
now
yeah I don't know if I promised it but I
yeah
I
don't
know
if
I
promised
it
but
I
told him I will walk again and with his
told
him
I
will
walk
again
and
with
his
last birthday I
last
birthday
I
I went
I
went
with the walker to the birthday party so
with
the
walker
to
the
birthday
party
so
um it was a big surprise for my father
um
it
was
a
big
surprise
for
my
father
to see me without a wheelchair.
to
see
me
without
a
wheelchair
The device has two parts in the brain
The
device
has
two
parts
in
the
brain
implants are placed over the regions
implants
are
placed
over
the
regions
controlling movement then in a backpack
controlling
movement
then
in
a
backpack
a computer powered with artificial intelligence
a
computer
powered
with
artificial
intelligence
decodes brain signals
decodes
brain
signals
generated when Gertyan thinks about a
generated
when
Gertyan
thinks
about
a
particular movement and sends an
particular
movement
and
sends
an
instruction wirelessly to a second
instruction
wirelessly
to
a
second
device implanted in his lower back.
device
implanted
in
his
lower
back
Bridging the damage to the spinal cord
Bridging
the
damage
to
the
spinal
cord
in his neck, it sends electrical impulses
in
his
neck
it
sends
electrical
impulses
through the nerves to coordinate the leg
through
the
nerves
to
coordinate
the
leg
muscles and allow him to walk.
muscles
and
allow
him
to
walk
Yeah we believe this is a real breakthrough here.
Yeah
we
believe
this
is
a
real
breakthrough
here
It's not controlling robots it's really
It's
not
controlling
robots
it's
really
reconnecting to regions of the central nervous system
reconnecting
to
regions
of
the
central
nervous
system
that are disconnected.
that
are
disconnected
This is like the true digital revolution in
This
is
like
the
true
digital
revolution
in
terms of prosthetics. You know, it's a
terms
of
prosthetics
You
know
it's
a
completely new dogma that is starting
completely
new
dogma
that
is
starting
with the, of course, a proof of principle
with
the
of
course
a
proof
of
principle
only one patient but it shows us that
only
one
patient
but
it
shows
us
that
it's not science fiction anymore and
it's
not
science
fiction
anymore
and
that's a new era for these people.
that's
a
new
era
for
these
people
That new hope can be given to people with a
That
new
hope
can
be
given
to
people
with
a
spinal cord injury.
spinal
cord
injury
The Swiss team is preparing to roll out
The
Swiss
team
is
preparing
to
roll
out
the technology to other patients with
the
technology
to
other
patients
with
spinal injuries and perhaps then those
spinal
injuries
and
perhaps
then
those
paralyzed by stroke. But one UK charity
paralyzed
by
stroke
But
one
UK
charity
warned against raising false hope. These
warned
against
raising
false
hope
These
breakthroughs are really exciting but
breakthroughs
are
really
exciting
but
also tempered with
also
tempered
with
um how few people this has been used in
um
how
few
people
this
has
been
used
in
so far and how far down the line it
so
far
and
how
far
down
the
line
it
might take to actually be useful
might
take
to
actually
be
useful
to for the whole population of which
to
for
the
whole
population
of
which
there are thousands of us in the UK at
there
are
thousands
of
us
in
the
UK
at
the moment that need support in a whole
the
moment
that
need
support
in
a
whole
variety of ways.
variety
of
ways
But take nothing away from the
But
take
nothing
away
from
the
technology, the thoughts of a paralyzed
technology
the
thoughts
of
a
paralyzed
man, his intent to walk can now be turned
man
his
intent
to
walk
can
now
be
turned
into deliberate steps.
into
deliberate
steps
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