News
Neurotechnology to treat spinal cord injury sees early success in human spine implant
A spinal implant device developed by scientists and doctors in Switzerland has enabled three paralyzed men to walk again. The men, aged 30, 35, and 48, participated in a trial conducted by research institute École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) wherein the device was first surgically implanted in the cervical (neck) part of their spines followed by rehabilitative therapy. Within one week, all of the men were able to regain motion in their lower limbs, and after three months, they were able to walk hands-free with hip support in a gravity-assist mechanism.
Spinal cord injury interferes with the cell communication essential in the nervous system for enabling neurological functions. When a human or animal wants to move a limb, the brain sends electrical signals down the spinal cord which trigger, or “innervate”, nerve cells connected to muscles to move as instructed. In the case of severe or complete paralysis, as was the case with the three men treated, the signals from the brain are too weak to reach the areas that are paralyzed. The implant used in the trial provided a targeted boost to the signals used for lower limb movement.
The device, an “implantable pulse generator” which delivers epidural electrical stimulation (EES) to the spinal cord, is commonly used for deep brain stimulation but was modified to enable wireless commands to meet the trial’s needs. To achieve the necessary types of impulses to the spine, researchers studied the bodies’ electrical activity behavior when motion was attempted by participants. That information was used to develop algorithms which would control electrical pulses sent from the device.
As detailed in the research paper reporting the experiments and results for the implant, different types of muscle movements involve different groups of nerve cells being activated. The three men who participated in the trial were able choose the types of motion they wanted to attempt, i.e., standing or walking, via a tablet with a mobile app. The app would then communicate with the implant to direct the types of pulses sent to match the signals for the nerve cell groups associated with the movement desired.
Surprisingly for researchers, the trial also resulted in limited repair of the previously damaged spinal cord nerve connections responsible for participants’ paralysis. One of the participants was even able to walk a few paces without the device’s signals after a few months of therapy. Additionally, the animal portion of the trial showed nerve fibers growing back and connecting to the brain again.
There are many positive potential treatment developments indicated by the success of this trial, but certain limitations should be noted. First, the electrical pulses cause discomfort for participants and thus can’t be maintained for long periods of time. This initial trial was only able to enable walking for approximately one hour. Second, the treatment carries a high price tag. The cost of the device and therapy together puts the paralysis treatment out of reach for many of its would-be beneficiaries. As more research continues along with expended trials planned to take place in the next three years, it’s possible for it to be available on a wide scale.
Elon Musk
SpaceX secures win as US labor board drops oversight case
The NLRB confirmed that it no longer has jurisdiction over SpaceX.
SpaceX scored a legal victory after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decided to dismiss a case which accused the company of terminating engineers who were involved in an open letter against founder Elon Musk.
The NLRB confirmed that it no longer has jurisdiction over SpaceX. The update was initially shared by Bloomberg News, which cited a letter about the matter it reportedly reviewed.
In a letter to the former employees’ lawyers, the labor board stated that the affected employees were under the jurisdiction of the National Mediation Board (NMB), not the NLRB. As a result, the labor board stated that it was dismissing the case.
As per Danielle Pierce, a regional director of the agency, “the National Labor Relations Board lacks jurisdiction over the Employer and, therefore, I am dismissing your charge.”
The NMB typically oversees airlines and railroads. The NLRB, on the other hand, covers most private-sector employers, as well as manufacturers such as Boeing.
The former SpaceX engineers have argued that the private space company did not belong under the NMB’s jurisdiction because SpaceX only offers services to “hand-picked customers.”
In an opinion, however, the NMB stated that SpaceX was under its jurisdiction because “space transport includes air travel” to get to outer space. The mediation board also noted that anyone can contact SpaceX to secure its services.
SpaceX had previously challenged the NLRB’s authority in court, arguing that the agency’s structure was unconstitutional. Jennifer Abruzzo, the NLRB general counsel under former United States President Joe Biden, rejected SpaceX’s claims. Following Abruzzo’s termination under the Trump administration, however, SpaceX asked the labor board to reconsider its arguments.
SpaceX is not the only company that has challenged the constitutionality of the NLRB. Since SpaceX filed its legal challenge against the agency in 2024, other high-profile companies have followed suit. These include Amazon, which has filed similar cases that are now pending.
News
Tesla accuses IG Metall member of secretly recording Giga Berlin meeting
The union has denied the electric vehicle maker’s allegations.
Police seized the computer of an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday amid allegations that a works council meeting was secretly recorded.
The union has denied the electric vehicle maker’s allegations.
In a post on X, Gigafactory Berlin plant manager André Thierig stated that an external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting and allegedly recorded the session. Thierig described the event as “truly beyond words.”
“What has happened today at Giga Berlin is truly beyond words! An external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting. For unknown reasons he recorded the internal meeting and was caught in action! We obviously called police and filed a criminal complaint!” Thierig wrote in his post on X.
Police later confirmed to local news outlet rbb24 that officers did seize a computer belonging to an IG Metall member at the Giga Berlin site on Tuesday afternoon. Tesla stated that employees had contacted authorities after discovering the alleged recording.
IG Metall denied Tesla’s accusations, arguing that its representative did not record the meeting. The union alleged that Tesla’s claim was simply a tactic ahead of upcoming works council elections.
The next works council election at Giga Berlin is scheduled for March 2 to 4, 2026. The facility’s management had confirmed the dates to local news outlets. The official announcement marks the start of the election process and campaign period.
Approximately 11,000 employees are eligible to participate in the vote.
The previous works council election at the plant took place in 2024, and it was triggered by a notable increase in workforce size. Under German labor law, regular works council elections must be held every four years between March 1 and May 31.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s xAI plants flag in Bellevue AI hotspot
The lease places xAI’s new office in one of the region’s fastest-growing tech hubs.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has leased a full floor at Lincoln Square South in downtown Bellevue, WA, as per city permit filings.
The lease places xAI’s new office in one of the region’s fastest-growing tech hubs.
Public records indicate that xAI leased roughly 24,800 square feet in Lincoln Square South. The location was previously occupied by video game company Epic Games. Lincoln Square South is part of the Bellevue Collection, which is owned by Kemper Development Co.
The lease was first referenced in January by commercial real estate firm Broderick Group, which noted that an unnamed tenant had secured the space, as stated in a report from the Puget Sound Business Journal. Later filings identified xAI as the occupant for the space.
xAI has not publicly commented on the lease.
xAI hinted at plans to open an office in the Seattle area back in September, when the startup posted job openings with salaries ranging from $180,000 to $440,000. At the time, the company had narrowed its location search to cities on the Eastside but had not finalized a lease.
xAI’s Bellevue expansion comes as Musk continues consolidating his businesses. Last week, SpaceX acquired xAI in a deal that valued the artificial intelligence startup at $250 billion. SpaceX itself is now valued at roughly $1.25 trillion and is expected to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) later this year.
Musk already has a significant presence in the region through SpaceX, which employs about 2,000 workers locally. That initiative, however, is focused largely on Starlink satellite development.
Bellevue has increasingly become a center for artificial intelligence companies. OpenAI has expanded its local office footprint to nearly 300,000 square feet. Data infrastructure firms such as Crusoe and CoreWeave have also established offices downtown.
SpaceX secures win as US labor board drops oversight case
Tesla accuses IG Metall member of secretly recording Giga Berlin meeting
