Monkeys Steer Wheelchairs with Brain

Monkeys Steer Wheelchairs with Brain, Raising Hope For Paralyzed People

By: Will Cox

Link:  Vergano, Dan. "Monkeys Steer Wheelchairs, Raising Hope for Paralyzed People."

    National Geographic. National Geographic, 18 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 Jan.

    2016. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/

    141118-exoskeleton-neuroscience-brain-monkey-wheelchair-science/>.

January 19 2016

Monkeys steering wheelchairs is something you wouldn’t see every day. As scientists advance their research, it may become more and more common. Scientists from Duke University have found a way to allow immobilized people to walk. Though the wheelchairs they make are not cheap, it is a major discovery and has created hope for paralyzed people.This wheelchair listens to impulses from the brain and moves mechanical arms attached to body segments, so that it appears that the patient is walking. These wheelchairs will eventually be tested with humans, and if everything goes right, then we could see people using these wheelchairs to walk.

This news is quite important to people around the world that are paralyzed and would like to walk again. People hearing of this will immediately feel a rush of hope as the world becomes one step closer to wheelchairs that can help you walk. This discovery will make a difference in everyday lives if it becomes open to the public, as there will be people walking on the sidewalk with frames wrapped around them, which actually allow them to walk. I feel that wheelchairs assisting someone to walk will make the prospect of being paralyzed a lot easier to cope with. While this article did not directly affect me, I feel that it would be awesome to see paralyzed people stand and walk by themselves. This does not directly connect to what we are learning in science, but I wish we could learn more about this subject. All in all, I can’t wait to hear more about this fascinating topic.