New surgical technique makes prosthetic limbs feel real

MIT researchers are developing a new surgical approach that would allow amputees to receive sensory feedback from their prosthetic limbs and improve their ability to control them. [Image from Jose-Luis Olivares/MIT]

MIT researchers have developed a new surgical technique that makes prosthetic limbs feel like real limbs. It could also help reduce the rejection rate of prosthetic limbs.

“We’re talking about a dramatic improvement in patient care,” said Hugh Herr, a professor of media arts and sciences and senior author on the study, in a press release. “Right now there’s no robust neural method for a person with limb amputation to feel proprioceptive positions and forces applied to the prosthesis. Imagine how that would completely hinder one’s ability to move, to successfully balance, or to manipulate objects.”

The researchers worked with rats, successfully generating muscle-tendon sensory feedback to the nervous system. The feedback helps relay information about the placement of prosthetic limbs and the forces applied to it. Now they hope to use that same method in humans.

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

The post New surgical technique makes prosthetic limbs feel real appeared first on MassDevice.

from MassDevice http://ift.tt/2sdlYpB