Paralyzed man regains sense of touch with brain implant

A paralyzed man has been able to regain a sense of touch through the use of a new brain-linked robotic arm technology.

The patient is a 30-year-old named Nathan Copeland who lost all sensation and movement in his limbs after a car accident 12 years ago.

According to a news release issued by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, he was asked to be part of a trial where doctors determined which parts of his brain triggered feeling in his hand then implanted microelectrodes in those areas.

Over time, he has been able to increasingly feel the contact made with a robotic arm which is attached to a nearby machine.

The Washington Post quotes Copeland as saying, "I can feel just about every finger. Sometimes it feels electrical, and sometimes it's pressure, but for the most part, I can tell most of the fingers with definite precision."

One of the future challenges for the team, according to The Verge, is to design a robotic arm system that can be implanted on the patient.

See photos of Nathan Copeland below: