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2026-07-15 00:00 United States Papers Sensation & Feedback Translated from EN

Blackrock NeuroPort Arrays Deliver Touch Feedback for Up to 10 Years

Summary An early feasibility study followed five people with spinal cord injury, each implanted with two Blackrock NeuroPort arrays in somatosensory cortex. Across two to 10 years of implantation, more than 168 million intracortical stimulation pulses were delivered over 27 combined implant-years without a serious adverse event or direct harm to electrode health. An average of 64% ± 13% of electrodes still evoked touch, including 60% after 10 years in one participant.
Why it matters Decade-long human stimulation data are rare, and the study supplies both durability evidence and a practical limit in the roughly one-fifth loss of functional electrodes.
BCIwiki (bciwiki.com) — An early feasibility study reported safety and touch-evocation results from as long as 10 years of intracortical microstimulation in humans. Five people with spinal cord injury each received two Blackrock NeuroPort arrays in the hand area of somatosensory cortex.

Implant durations ranged from two to 10 years and totaled 27 implant-years. More than 168 million stimulation pulses were delivered without a serious adverse event or a direct negative effect on electrode health. Stimulation generally produced localized sensations in the hand, with rare brief persistence after stimulation ended.

Detection thresholds rose by about 3.5 microamperes per year. An average of 64% ± 13% of electrodes still reliably evoked touch, a decline of about 21% in functional electrodes. In one participant, 60% remained functional after 10 years. The data support long-term sensory feedback while also showing gradual loss of electrode function.

Compiled by BCIwiki from public sources

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