Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions
15 results for "brain implant"
Scientists at Cornell University created a neural implant smaller than a grain of salt that can wirelessly read brain activity for over a year. The device uses light instead of wires, opening doors to safer brain monitoring for medical treatments.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F6e%2Fb0%2F6eb0ec80-9f2f-4e47-99ca-e302a124cc7c%2Fscreenshot_2026-03-17_at_120555pm.png)
A woman with ALS typed 22 words per minute using only her thoughts, thanks to a brain implant that reads finger movement signals. She matched the texting speed of able-bodied people her age.
A wireless brain implant that improved memory by 19% in clinical trials just received breakthrough status from the FDA, bringing hope to 4.3 million Americans living with brain injury. The device listens to brain signals and stimulates at precisely the right moment to help form new memories.
A smart brain implant that learns from your own neural patterns just became the first device to receive breakthrough status for treating memory loss after traumatic brain injury. More than 4 million Americans living with TBI-related disability may finally have hope for a treatment.
Two paralyzed people are typing with their thoughts alone, using brain implants that translate imagined finger movements into keystrokes at speeds rivaling smartphone users. After learning just 30 sentences, they're chatting, joking, and reclaiming independence through a familiar QWERTY keyboard.
For the first time ever, a brain implant has been approved for widespread use outside clinical trials, giving hope to thousands living with paralysis. China's approval of the NEO device marks a breakthrough moment for people with severe spinal cord injuries who previously had no treatment options.
Two people with paralysis can now type on a virtual keyboard using only their thoughts, thanks to a groundbreaking brain implant. One patient reached 80% of an able-bodied person's typing speed.
Noland Arbaugh, the world's first Neuralink recipient, will demonstrate live how he controls technology with his thoughts at a major robotics conference. After a diving accident left him paralyzed, the brain implant gave him back the power to interact with the world independently.
Two people with paralysis can now type using only their thoughts at speeds nearly matching smartphone texting, thanks to a breakthrough brain implant. The technology brings life-changing communication within reach for people who've lost the ability to speak or move.
A brain-computer interface device just won approval in China to help people with spinal cord injuries use their hands again. Clinical trials showed all 36 participants regained the ability to grasp objects after years of paralysis.
China just became the first country to approve a brain implant for commercial use, opening the door for people with spinal cord injuries to regain movement. While similar devices have existed in research labs for decades, this marks a breakthrough in making the technology accessible beyond clinical trials.
A Belgian startup just earned FDA breakthrough status for a brain implant that bypasses damaged eyes entirely to restore functional vision. Clinical trials in blind volunteers could begin as soon as summer 2027.
Researchers in Israel used deep-brain stimulation to dramatically reduce hallucinations in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, opening a new frontier for the 30% who don't respond to medication. One patient said the voices that controlled his life finally became quiet.
A man blind for three years unexpectedly recovered partial natural vision during a clinical trial for an artificial vision device in Spain. The spontaneous improvement persisted even after doctors removed the brain implant.
A small device surgically placed in the chest helped people who had lived with severe depression for nearly 30 years find lasting relief. After trying an average of 13 treatments without success, 69% of patients improved within a year, and most kept getting better.