One hope for a walk: Wimagine brain implant

At the CES 2024 technology exhibition, which took place on January 9-12 in Las Vegas, USA, many interesting developments were presented, one of which was the Wimagine brain implant, developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). If everything goes as its creators intended, the brain-machine should allow paralyzed people to walk again.

This interface, equipped with electrodes, is placed in direct contact with the motor cortex of the brain, which controls the voluntary movements of a paraplegic patient.

In the first case, the data collected by the implant is transmitted wirelessly to a connector attached to the spinal cord below the site of injury. The patient only needs to think about walking, and the information is transmitted to the connector and then to the legs.

In the second option, the implant interacts with a custom-made exoskeleton, performing gestures prescribed by the user.