A paralyzed man has walked for the first time in 12 years after being fitted with a pioneering mind-reading implant. The incredible technology means Gert-Jan Oskam, 40, from the Netherlands, can walk again using just the power of his thoughts. Neurosurgeons and neuroscientists who worked on the life-changing project describe it as a “digital rebirth” of the spinal cord.

Gert-Jan, who suffered a devastating bicycle accident while working in China in 2011, is seen standing, walking, and even climbing stairs after being fitted with the mind-reading device. Spinal cord injuries can interrupt the communication between the brain and the region of the spinal cord that controls walking, leading to paralysis.

Previous studies have tried to restore movement by electrically stimulating regions of the spinal cord, but this required patients to wear motion sensors and showed limited mobility across different tasks and terrains. A team at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), who are working with Gert-Jan, came up with a new approach by using electronic implants to develop a “wireless digital bridge” between the brain and the spinal cord.

One implant is placed in the patient’s brain, above the region responsible for leg movements, with the second on the region of the spinal cord that controls leg movement. Professor Jocelyne Bloch, an author of the study, tells FACTZ: “These devices decode the electrical signals generated by the brain when we think about walking. The brain signals are converted into a sequence of electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, activating the leg muscles to achieve the desired movement. The system operates wirelessly, so the patient can move around independently.”

As an unexpected bonus, Gert-Jan has also seen “remarkable improvements” in his motor skills even with the digital bridge switched off. The digital bridge has only been tested on Gert-Jan so far, but the team now hopes to roll it out to others.