Ian Burkhart can move his arm again despite his paraplegia. This is thanks to a chip in its motor center for hand movements in the brain. The computer takes over the stimulus transmission of the movement information in its head. Electrodes on the skin surface of his arm convert the signals into muscle stimuli and thus ensure that Ian's brain commands are implemented in a motorized manner. In this way, his brain can go through a learning process and adapt the new partner, the pea-sized computer chip, to an organ of equal value. The new interface on his arm lets Ian grab bottles or pick up credit cards. 130 electrodes on his forearm provide the necessary resolution for such complex movements.
But there are also problems that such a chip transplantation brings with it. The body's natural defense reaction ensures that the tips of the electrodes in the brain are attacked by the body's own immune cells and functionally destroyed. After five years, out of 100 electrodes, only four to five are still functional. Another danger with the transplant is that the procedure destroyed several nerve cells that were responsible for moving the arm.