CEA‑Clinatec
Grenoble’s CEA‑Clinatec work on brain-controlled exoskeletons using implanted wireless ECoG (WIMAGINE) as a proof-of-concept for whole-body assistive control.
CEA‑Clinatec (Grenoble, France) is widely cited for an eye-catching demonstration: a person with tetraplegia controlling a heavy exoskeleton via implanted brain interfaces.
Reported demonstration (media coverage)
A summary writeup (with links out to more coverage) describes:
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electrode grids implanted over sensorimotor cortex
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decoding algorithm translating signals into exoskeleton commands
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extensive training using an avatar in a virtual environment
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the exoskeleton required a harness and remained a lab prototype
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Northern California Spinal Cord Network summary (Oct 2019): 01
(That page links to BBC coverage.)
- Recent: CEA-Leti opened a new trial taking its WIMAGINE implant into post-stroke rehabilitation (BCI4Stroke, Jun 2026). Source: 02 (secondary); CEA page: 03
Why it matters
Even if the system is not a near-term product, it demonstrates:
- feasibility of high-level whole-body assistive control
- the importance of decoder training + interface design
- the practical realities (weight, balance, safety harness) that separate demos from products
What to watch
- Peer-reviewed publications describing the implanted system and decoding pipeline
- Transition from lab prototype → usable assistive device
- Long-term signal stability with implanted ECoG
Source index
References, research and institutional reports.