Groundbreaking brain-computer interface gives paralyzed man new independence

Nine years after a devastating Jeep crash left him paralyzed, 41-year-old Brandon Patterson has become the vanguard of a revolutionary new technology - a brain-computer interface implant.

Restoring control

During a complex surgery, neurosurgeon Dr. Daniel Kramer implanted the innovative devices in the higher-functioning cortex areas of Patterson's brain, where critical thinking and decision-making take place.

These implants, with three ports on top of Patterson's head, can record individual neuron activity and transmit signals to external devices, enabling him to regain some motor and sensory control.