The BrainLab at the Georgia Institute of Technology is working on developing devices that could help paralyzed people move objects such as wheelchairs. According to a CNN news report, this could be a big breakthrough for the six million Americans who live with paralysis as it could give them the ability to mentally control artificial limbs and mobility devices. Experts say if these devices get to the market, paralyzed people could take a huge step forward toward independent living.
Breakthrough Technology
The CNN report states that Melody Moore Jackson, the director of the BrainLab started the project in 1998 to explore methods of brain control that did not involve surgery. Now, there are about 300 labs working on this project. The BrainLab was one of the first to show that a person can control a robotic arm and a wheelchair with brain signals.
The article gives examples of many patients with “locked-in” syndrome, which is a rare neurological disorder. This means that patients feel, think and understand language, but cannot move or speak, which makes them prisoners in their own bodies. Jackson’s goal, she says, is to help paralyzed people who suffer from locked-in syndrome to communicate and move by utilizing this breakthrough technology.
Compensation for Victims
Paralysis often occurs as a result of damage to the spinal cord. Auto accidents are among the most common causes of spinal cord injuries along with slip-and-fall accidents. Living with spinal cord injuries can be painful, daunting and depressing. Patients suffer physically and emotionally, as do their family members. The cost of treatment and rehabilitation for paralyzed patients can add up to millions over the patient’s lifetime.
If you or a loved one has suffered these types of catastrophic injuries due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, the experienced New York personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: CNN