Researchers at The Ohio State University Neurological Institute have successfully implanted a microchip into the motor cortex of a 24-year-old quadriplegic by the name of Ian Burkhart. This chip reads brain activity and, using a signal decoder and special sleeve, actually allows the Burkhart to control movement of his arm.
While there is still much research to be conducted, this is such encouraging news for quadriplegics! ASI’s assistive technology – including our autonoME environmental control unit (ECU) – could play an important role in integrating with these implanted microchips in the future.
When our founder, Fred Thompson, first began serving veterans and the quadriplegic community in the 1980s, this type of innovation was something only fantasized about on television and in movies. Now, it looks like what was once considered “tomorrow’s” technology is coming to fruition today.
ASI continues to stay on top of the latest research and innovations. Our autonoME ECU offers the most options and flexibility for independence than any other assistive technology on the market. Combined with microchip implants, the autonoME may one day play an integral role in making paralysis a thing of the past!
