A paralysed man unable to even move his eyes can now communicate thanks to a brain implant — and one of his first requests was for doctors to fetch him a beer.

The unidentified German man, 34, could also tell his four-year-old son he loved him and ask if he would watch a Disney film with him.

He has been in a completely 'locked-in' state since February 2019 due to the progression of his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 

The disorder, also known as motor neurone disease, affects the brain and the nerves governing movement. Over time, it can cause paralysis. 

As it progresses, sufferers are gradually robbed of verbal communication, relying on eye movements to convey ideas to their loved ones.

But even this can be eventually stripped away from them, as nerves governing these movements also degenerate. 

However, scientists say the new communication method could offer hope to thousands living with the condition allowing them to to spell out words to loved ones.   

Publishing their findings in the journal Nature Communications, medics surgically inserted an implant consisting of two small electrodes into the man's motor cortex, the part of the brain responsible for movement. 

Over the course of two months, the researchers monitored activity in the region while asking him to simply think about moving various parts of his body.  

He was then trained to use thinking about specific movements to answer 'yes' or 'no' to questions.