Paralyzed man walks using brain-controlled robotic suit

Friday, October 4, 2019
GRENOBLE, France (WPVI) -- A man, paralyzed from the shoulders down, is now able to walk using a mind-controlled robotic suit.

It may sound like science fiction, but it really happened in France.

Fonds de dotation Clinatec


[Ads /]
The man, identified only as Thibault, severed his spinal cord after falling from a balcony.

University of Grenoble researchers implanted recording devices in his head that can transmit signals into movements, which are then executed by a robotic exo-skeleton.



For two years, Thibault has been using a video game avatar to help it understand his thoughts.
[Ads /]
Over the course of the study, he was able to walk the distance of more than one and a half football fields.



Scientists say the technology is an experimental treatment that could help others, after it's improved.

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.