These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
MicroTransponder’s Vivistim Paired VNS system is a chest implant that helps chronic ischemic stroke survivors regain motor function in their arms and hands by stimulating the nearby vagus nerve, the body’s “superhighway” of electrical signals. It’s the first product to do so for strokes, earning it the FDA’s breakthrough device designation. Vivistim works to boost the effects of physical therapy, facilitating the development of strength and dexterity at two to three times the degree of recovery without it. “We can implant something, and six weeks later, people are having clinically improved benefits,” MicroTransponder CEO Richard Foust says.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
