Walking again after digital op

STANDING tall, over a decade after the bike accident that left him paralysed, Gert-Jan Oskam walks again thanks to artificial intelligence technology.

- STEPHEN WHITE

Scientists in Switzerland have created a "wireless digital bridge" to restore a broken connection between Gert's brain and spinal cord.

The 40-year-old engineer, from the Netherlands, now has control over the movement of his legs, enabling him to stand, walk and even climb stairs.

The team said their electrode implants also enabled Gert to recover some of the brain function he had lost since his accident, so he was able to show motor skills when the digital bridge was turned off.