As technology becomes more impressive and useful, we’re seeing more unique ways to build prosthetics. A new approach, documented in a study in Science Translational Medicine, shows prosthetics that interface directly with the user’s nervous system in an approach designed to increase flexibility.
as“Wired” reportAs noted, this is a departure from the usual approach to fitting prosthetics, which revolves around using other body parts, such as the shoulder, to attach the replacement limb to. In terms of how to improve control for users, it should allow them to complete more complex tasks, such as clipping a shirt to a clothesline.
The new method works by drilling a prosthetic into the bone it is attached to, then going through a series of surgeries and rerouting to connect nerve endings to the replacement limb, all of which can be operated by recording electrical nerve signals sent from the brain equipment. The whole process is said to have taken about six months to complete.
While it’s still a new technology and there are a lot of hurdles to jump over, seeing a patient able to move a robotic limb by simply thinking about it marks a very exciting development in the world of prosthetics.
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