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Device Allows Paralyzed Rats To Walk, Human Trials Scheduled Next Summer

Posted by samzenpus on from the walking-again dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A new technique pioneered by scientists working on project NEUWalk at the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology (EPFL) have figured out a way to reactivate the severed spinal cords of fully paralyzed rats, allowing them to walk again via remote control. Human trials are scheduled for next summer. "We have complete control of the rat's hind legs," EPFL neuroscientist Grégoire Courtine said. "The rat has no voluntary control of its limbs, but the severed spinal cord can be reactivated and stimulated to perform natural walking. We can control in real-time how the rat moves forward and how high it lifts its legs."

3 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. the next logical step by Doubting+Sapien · · Score: 3, Insightful

    After they optimize this for human physiology and gain commercial approval, this technology will obviously be a boon for accident victims. However, the engineer in me can't help but think of how far they can take the cyborg theme. ALS is a disease where motor neurons selectively waste away. Do we dare hope that we can eventually bypass the whole path of neuro connections to directly stimulate individual muscle groups?

    --
    ========== "Hello World" in my programming language of choice: ATG - LET THERE BE LIFE - TAG ==========
    1. Re:the next logical step by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The engineer in me says that this is going to be a LOT more difficult in humans than in rats. In the demo video the rat is actually suspended, which means the legs are not actually supporting the weight of the body, which means the feet, ankles, toes, knees, are not making minute changes to carry and balance the load of the body. The lack of feedback from the nerves and the inner ear, means they would need multiple sensors for balance, and need to be able to control many muscle groups very precisely. Knowing this, I don't see how this could work very well. I can see only one good use which would be in a therapeutic swimming pool and using this to prevent the atrophy of the legs which leads to all kinds of health complications.

  2. Re:Poor rats by m.alessandrini · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Please everyone, let's draw a line with animal-right defense. It's rats here, the same rats we exterminate in thousands when they approach our towns. And we eat a lot of animals more intelligent than rats (we = majority of people). I would argue that curing lethal diseases and paralysis is as important as eating. Another thing I really hope for the future is having transpantable organs grown in pigs or other animals.

    I'd rather die than have dozens, hundreds or thousands of animals tortured to help me live more comfortably

    Really? Really? Tell us again when you'r really dying.