Leggett told investigators that she “became one” with his device. It helped her control the unpredictable and violent seizures she regularly suffered and allowed her to take charge of her own life. So she was devastated when, two years later, she was told she had to have the implant removed because the company that made it had gone bankrupt.
Removing this implant, and others like it, could represent a violation of human rights, ethics experts say in a paper published earlier this month. And the problem will only become more pressing as the brain implant market grows in the coming years and more people receive devices like Leggett’s. Read the whole story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
At the latest issue of The CheckupJessica’s weekly newsletter that gives you the inside track on all things biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.
If you want to read more about brain implants, why not check out:
+ Brain waves can tell us how much pain someone is in. The research could open doors to personalized brain therapies to target and treat the worst types of chronic pain. Read the whole story.
+ An ALS patient set a record for communicating through a brain implant. Brain interfaces could allow paralyzed people to speak at near-normal speeds. Read the whole story.
+ Here’s how personalized brain stimulation could treat depression. Implants that track and optimize our brain activity are on the way. Read the whole story.
