13 July 11
Bioengineering triumph for paralysed patients
ASME covers the story of the first paraplegic to do what was thought unthinkable—stand up and take steps on his own.
Read the story of the up-and-coming baseball player who had a sheet of 16 electrodes implanted on his lower spine and connected by subcutaneous wires to a receiver placed just below the hip. An external control device sends wireless signals to the receiver, which sends pulses to the electrodes.
“The spinal cord is smart. Absent communication from the brain, it can interpret sensory feedback and send instructions to the legs about movement.”
Susan P. Howley, executive VP for research, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
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