The First Electronic Bridge Between Brain, Body and Spinal Cord with Dr. Chad Bouton
Louise sits down with Dr. Chad Bouton, VP of Advanced Engineering at Northwell Health and director of the Neural Bypass and Brain-Computer Interface Laboratory at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in New York. A science-fair kid from Texas who survived his own traumatic brain injury in graduate school, Dr. Bouton has spent two decades chasing a single insight: a spinal cord injury doesn't silence the brain. It just cuts the road. His lab builds the detour.
He walks Louise through the science of neural decoding and the world's first double neural bypass trial, in which five microchips implanted across the motor and sensory regions of Keith Thomas's brain allowed Keith to open his hand and — for the first time in years — feel his sister's touch. Dr. Bouton also describes the cooperative rehabilitation study pairing Keith with fellow participant Kathy, where Keith's thoughts wirelessly directed stimulation to her muscles while sensation signals routed back to his own fingertips. Within six weeks, she tripled her hand strength. He doubled his bicep strength and started petting his dog again. They now email each other from home.
Dr. Bouton speaks openly about his company Neuvotion, the push toward a minimally invasive wireless brain interface, and his message to insurance companies, students, and anyone navigating life after paralysis.
You can learn more about Dr. Bouton's lab and research at www.boutonlab.com
Have an idea or feedback for me? Email me, at [email protected]
#BeginAgain #HopeforEverything
Be part of supporting BLINK of an Eye nonprofit as we support SCI families in crisis and advance science. Give $25 today! www.BLINKofaneye.org
Stay Connected: Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with anyone interested in advocacy for SCI funding!
BLINK of an Eye® Podcast is sponsored by BLINK of an Eye® Non-Profit:
A non-profit which is an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injury, originating the first SCI Navigator Program in the country for newly injured SCI Families by SCI Families as an essential national resource for Spinal Cord Injured families in the first days, weeks and months of SCI crisis when life turns upside down and few medical teams in the US have SCI expertise or lived experience. They bring essential support, connections, life expertise and resources. BLINK of an Eye non profit deploys a rapid response HEAL Team for ICU bedside support to create an Extraordinary Experience despite the devastation for SCI families and a personal SCI Navigator for 24/7 support in the first 90 days and throughout the Miracle Year. BLINK of an Eye non profit also provides a Multidisciplinary Wrap Around Team and SCI Expert Medical Panel. Stay tuned for their launch of a National Digital Resource Library, the SCI PLAYBOOK, chocked full of essential SCI information and trauma informed responses for the first hours, days and months after injury. To find out more, get involved, or make a donation, visit www.BLINKofaneye.org.
Blink of an Eye is sponsored by Baltimore Mediation:
To find out more about cutting edge conflict transformation skills courses to learn relational conflict theory and advocacy, mediation, crisis and trauma interventions and support for leaders and anyone navigating or facilitating difficult situations, conflict, or trauma, visit the website www.BaltimoreMediation.com and register for nationally certified 40 hour courses, including the Enneagram of personality for mediators to know themselves to stay neutral while offering opportunity for other’s empowerment.
To find out more about Louise visit: www.BlinkofanEye.org, www.BaltimoreMediation.com, www.BeingRelational.com