A man who suffered a stroke in 2011 was able to walk again thanks to a device called the Digital Bridge. This device bypasses the spinal cord and sends signals from the brain directly to the muscles.
There has been a development that will make many people forget all the known about stroke and paralysis. in 2011 A man named Gert-Jan Oskam, who broke his neck as a result of a traffic accident and was said to never be able to walk again, with the help of a device that works simultaneously with his brain waves, regains his old self. started to move. Even though Oskam is now connected to this device, he is very happy to be able to move again.
Developed by a group of neuroscientists in Switzerland and “Digital BridgeThe device, called ” (Turkish for digital bridge), made it possible for the patient to walk again through electrodes placed in the brain. According to experts, Digital Bridge can bring stroke and paralyzed patients back to life.
The effects of the device can be felt even when it is turned off!
Digital Bridge has a special algorithm. Implants and sensors, waves from the brain it helps to bypass some of the nerves that have lost their function and trigger the muscles. In fact, we can understand from here why the developed device is called a digital bridge. The device is broken between the brain and the leg. re-establishing the connection provides. Moreover, it makes it possible wirelessly. Digital Bridge, which receives the signal in the brain, triggers the muscles in the limbs such as the feet. Thus, the malfunction in the central nervous system is eliminated.
One of the remarkable features of Digital Bridge is assist in rehabilitation. It was understood that Gert-Jan Oskam, whose nerves did not become completely dysfunctional, also triggered the central nervous system to action during the trainings exceeding 40 hours. In other words, the patient who thinks that he will not be able to walk again, even for a short time, is now independently of the device it can move. Experts believe that the Digital Bridge, which is at an early stage for now, will prevent stroke and stroke from being an important health problem in the future. you can take out they are thinking.
Here are the moments when the paralyzed patient was able to walk again in 2011:
Source :
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/may/24/paralysed-man-walks-using-device-that-reconnects-brain-with-muscles