A team of medical professionals, led by neurosurgeon Dr. Jocelyne Bloch, performed the implantation of the ARC-IM and the Clinatec BCI into a 46-year-old patient suffering from a C4 spinal injury in mid-August. The Clinatec BCI, equipped with hair-thin leads, captures electrical signals in the patient’s brain, converting them into digital format for machine interpretation. A machine learning AI then deciphers the patient’s electrical signals and sends commands to the implanted stimulator array. This collaborative system translates the patient’s intentions into computer-controlled movement.
Hope for the Future
While the effectiveness of this translation remains to be fully realized, the patient is expected to adapt to the new system over time. Dr. Bloch stated, “We are now working with the patient to use this cutting-edge innovation to recover movement of his arms, hands, and fingers. We look forward to sharing more information in due course.”
