Double neural bypass: Man living with paralysis has feeling, lasting movement restored in arm & hand

Using brain implants, artificial intelligence and novel stimulation technology, researchers at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research developed the double neural bypass, a system that has restored the sense of touch and movement for Keith Thomas. The 45-year-old was paralyzed from the chest down in 2020 after a diving accident. His injury was complete, leaving him with no sensation in any of his limbs. In 2023, he felt his sister’s hand for the first time in three years, thanks to the team that developed this technology, led by Chad Bouton, professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes, vice president of advanced engineering at Northwell Health, developer of the technology and principal investigator of the clinical trial. Read more about Keith and the trial: Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 21 hospitals, 850 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 83,000 employees — 18,900 nurses and 4,900 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners — are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit and explore our many opportunities. The Well - Facebook – Twitter - Instagram - LinkedIn -