A New York man who was paralyzed after a diving accident is starting to regain movement a year later powered by artificial intelligence Implant it in his brain.
A year ago, 46-year-old Keith Thomas was only able to move his arms an inch. Today, after the groundbreaking procedure, he can reach out his hand, hold a cup and take a drink, using only his thoughts and excitement.
He has also gained more sensation in his wrists and arms, allowing him to feel the hair of his family dog.
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In 2020, Thomas was living on Long Island and working as a trader on Wall Street when he experienced a diving accident. left him half dead Below the chest.
A New York man (Keith Thomas, right) who was paralyzed after a diving accident is beginning to regain action a year after receiving an artificial intelligence-powered implant in his brain. Thomas is pictured on the left with his care team. (Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health)
“I went into the swimming pool at a friend’s house, between the shallow end and the deep end,” he told Fox News Digital. “I hit the bottom and broke my neck. I passed out, and I couldn’t move.”
Thomas remembers being loaded into a helicopter that took him to the hospital to begin his long recovery.
“This was during COVID, so it was extremely difficult and isolating.”
An ‘unprecedented’ process
A year ago, Thomas could only move his arms an inch. But in 2023 he had to go through a difficult phase. Surgery lasted 15 hoursDuring which the first AI-powered double neural bypass implant His brain was housed at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health in New York.
Professor Chad Bouton (right), principal investigator of the study, works in his laboratory at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research to restore permanent movement and feeling to the arm and hand of Keith Thomas (left), who lost his brain in an accident in 2020. I became paralyzed. , (The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health)
Chad Bouton, the study’s principal investigator and professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at Feinstein, said, “This groundbreaking clinical trial demonstrates for the first time that a single intervention can be used to restore permanent movement and sensation to the brain, body and spinal cord. “Connected electronically to a paralyzed human being.” The institutions told Fox News Digital.
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The surgical team, led by Dr. Ashesh Mehta, a neurosurgeon at Northwell Health, implanted five microchips in Keith’s brain – two in the area responsible for movement and three that control the sense of touch.
“These microchips connect to two ports implanted in his skull, which are connected to a powerful computer Running custom AI that we developed to read Keith’s brain waves and determine when he wants to move his hand,” said Bouton.
Keith Thomas, who suffers from paralysis, poses with the research team at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, who worked with him for months to restore permanent movement and feeling in his arm and hand. (The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health)
Based on the ideas, the device — called “double neural bypass” — retransmits signals between his brain and body around his injury, the doctor explained.
“The double neural bypass technology also stimulates his muscles, brain and spinal cord based on his brain patterns, and promotes permanent recovery of movement and sensation.”
“Keith’s brain, body and spinal cord are learning to work together again.”
The surgery required Thomas to remain awake at one point to ensure precise positioning of the microchips in his brain.
Thomas recalled, “It was a little vague, but I remember someone asking me if I felt anything, and I did feel a tingling in some part of my hand.”
three major milestones
After surgery, Thomas has returned regularly to the Feinstein Institute’s laboratory, where the team is monitoring his progress and performing tests. clinical trials of the results.
“Once I came out of surgery and saw the improvement during the lab sessions, it was incredible,” he said. “I was speechless.”
Keith Thomas, who suffers from paralysis, had five tiny microchips implanted in his brain, forming a key part of a first-of-its-kind “double neural bypass”. The technology uses artificial intelligence to decode their ideas and put them into action. (The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health)
Thomas has achieved three major milestones, exceeding the team’s expectations.
“First of all, just a few months after surgery, Keith felt the touch of his sister’s hand for the first time in three years since the accident,” Bouton said. “There was not a dry eye in the laboratory at that time.”
Second, Keith doubled it arm strength During the study, that usually isn’t possible until three years after a major spinal cord injury, the doctor said.
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Bouton shared, “Finally, with the strength and sensation of his arm, Keith recently became able to feel and lift a cup of tea into his mouth and drink it without anyone’s help and using his thoughts alone. “
“It was an amazing moment and we’ve been working towards it for the last few years.”
Keith Thomas is able to feel his sister holding his hand for the first time since he was paralyzed from the chest down following a diving accident in 2020. (The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health)
Thomas has also regained sensation in areas that are below the level of his injury, such as his wrists, even outside the laboratory.
“This shows that Keith’s brain, body and spinal cord are once again learning to work together, and some of the connections are getting stronger,” Bouton said.
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Thomas described his progress as “whimsical”.
“Every day, I feel like we’re achieving more.”
looking ahead
Thomas’ goal is to continue to gain more mobility and sensation outside of the lab, and he hopes to one day be able to drive his own motorized wheelchair without assistance.
After joining a clinical trial at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research that uses brain implants and artificial intelligence to reconnect her brain to healthy parts of her spinal cord, Thomas continued Correction has been done, restoring permanent movement and feeling in his arm and hand. (The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health)
Thomas added, “I want to continue to progress toward living a more independent life — and if I can inspire others to sign up for a clinical trial or help someone else get through this trial So that’s all I want.”
Bouton said he and the team are “optimistic” that Keith will continue to improve over time. double neural bypass technique,
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“We are monitoring his progress in terms of improvement in sensation and activity,” he said.
“Our team has also received approval to expand our clinical trial, and we are actively seeking new participants.”
Professor of Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Chad Bouton (left) and Dr. Ashesh Mehta led teams of doctors and scientists to implant electrodes in the brain, restoring permanent movement and sensation to a man suffering from paralysis. (The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at Northwell Health)
Bouton said he believes AI has significant potential to improve outcomes for paralyzed patients.
“AI is already The method of medicine is changing This is being practiced today, but we believe that our work combining AI with brain-computer interface technology will revolutionize the treatment of paralysis and many other conditions in the future.”
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“Our goal is to one day empower individuals with paralysis to be more functional and live more independent lives using this technology.”
