Brain Implant Restores Keith Thomas’s Hand Function, Lifting Right Arm Strength 86%
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Jul 16
Brain Implant Restores Keith Thomas’s Hand Function, Lifting Right Arm Strength 86%
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jul 16
Summary
Five microelectrode arrays implanted during a 15-hour surgery helped Keith Thomas regain movement and partial touch in previously paralysed hands, letting him feed himself and perform other daily tasks.
Over 35 weeks, a machine-learning system translated his brain signals into electrical stimulation of forearm muscles and spinal targets, producing 86% right-arm and 62% left-arm strength gains.
Sensors in a custom 3D-printed grasping device also sent feedback that created a perception of touch, and Thomas lifted fragile empty eggshells successfully 87% of the time without breaking them.
Months of retained function after stimulation stopped suggest possible neuroplasticity, though outside experts said the Nature Medicine study involved only one patient and did not achieve full recovery.
Researchers called the double neural bypass a potential step toward broader neuroprosthetic treatments for severe paralysis, with independent scientists describing the bidirectional movement-and-sensation approach as a significant advance.
Beyond movement, what is the next frontier for brain implants in restoring complex functions like organ control?
Could brain implants one day make themselves obsolete by permanently repairing the nervous system?
Now that China has a commercial brain implant, how will the US accelerate its own regulatory approvals?
From Paralysis to Possibility: How Double Neural Bypass Restored Sensation and Movement in Keith Thomas
Overview
Keith Thomas, who lost almost all movement and sensation below his neck after a severe spinal cord injury from a 2020 diving accident, could not feel or return affection to his dog, Bow. As of July 2026, groundbreaking news reports that a new 'double neural bypass' system has enabled the restoration of both movement and sensation for people with similar injuries. This innovative technology marks a major step forward, offering hope for functional recovery and a better quality of life for those living with paralysis, and highlights the potential for future advances in neuro-rehabilitation.