Brain implant restores feeding and drinking for paralysed man

Keith Thomas, a man paralysed from the chest down in a swimming accident six years ago, has been able to feed himself and drink from a cup after receiving a brain implant designed to bypass his spinal cord injury. The advance, reported by The Guardian, also allowed him to recover some movement in his arms and hands and to feel touch again after months of training with the system.

How the brain implant works

Thomas, who lives in Massapequa, New York, agreed to take part in the trial in 2021 at a time when he could not lift his arms off his wheelchair. Researchers then implanted electrodes in his brain and paired the surgery with extensive training. The result was a brain-computer interface that helped him move his arms and hands while also sending signals back to his brain to recreate the sensation of touch.

That two-way setup is central to what the researchers describe as a double neural bypass. It is intended not only to translate intent into movement, but also to restore some of the feedback that people rely on when using their hands. In Thomas’s case, the system has enabled him to perform everyday tasks that had previously been out of reach, including feeding himself and drinking from a cup.

Why the result matters

The progress is significant because movement alone is not enough for many practical activities. People also need sensory feedback to judge pressure, grip and contact. By allowing Thomas to feel touch, the technology goes beyond a one-directional control system and suggests a more complete approach to helping people with spinal cord injuries.

According to the supplied report, Thomas has been able to feel his sister’s hand and the fur on his pet dog. He has also regained some hand functions and sensations that remain even when the system is switched off, suggesting the treatment may have partly rewired his nervous system.

That detail is important because it hints at effects that outlast the device’s active use. While the source does not claim a cure, it does indicate that the treatment produced changes beyond momentary assistance, an outcome researchers have been seeking in this field.

A step forward for assistive neuroscience

Prof Chad Bouton, whose team developed the technology at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, said the result marked an incredible moment. He said the research group had long wanted to restore both movement and touch, while also creating effects that last.

The work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, engineering and rehabilitation. Brain-computer interfaces are increasingly being explored as tools that may help people with severe paralysis regain some independence, and this case offers a concrete example of what that could look like in daily life.

For Thomas, the impact is immediate and practical. Being able to bring food to his mouth and lift a cup may sound simple, but for someone who had lost the ability to move his arms, it represents a major change in daily routine and personal autonomy.

The source material does not specify the next stage of the research or whether the system is ready for wider use. But the reported results suggest that the combination of brain implants, stimulation and training may be moving closer to treatments that restore both action and sensation, rather than one or the other alone.