New research in neuroprosthetic technology has led to significant progress in creating prostheses that can mimic the performance of lost limbs. A new neuroprosthetic interface has developed a bionic leg that can fully respond to the nervous system, resulting in a 41% increase in walking speed for below-knee amputees. This advancement also enhances performance in real-world settings such as stairs, slopes, and paths with obstacles.
Proprioception, the sixth sense that provides awareness of body part positions in space, plays a crucial role in the functionality of the new interface. By allowing neural control information to be transmitted to the prosthesis and restoring proprioceptive sensation, the system ensures that movement feels natural and improves motion regulation. The study detailing this breakthrough was published in Nature Medicine and explained by researcher Hugh Herr from MIT.
The development of the interface was based on an understanding of muscle dynamics and proprioception. Surgical amputation disrupts neural-muscular architecture at the site of amputation, affecting muscle dynamics and proprioception. The team created an interface that connects agonist-antagonist muscle pairs with muscle-sensing electrodes and a computer that decodes signals. This setup allows users to control the bionic limb with their thoughts, giving them a sense of natural movement as if their limb was still intact.
By focusing on proprioceptive muscle input and utilizing only 18% of biological neural information, researchers were able to restore functional gait control, which they considered a significant scientific discovery. The brain’s adaptability allows it to control complex prostheses with minimal proprioception, hinting at the potential for substantial improvements in neuroprosthetic functionality with partial restoration of neuronal signaling.
In future studies, researchers aim to replace muscle surface electrodes with magnetic spheres to better monitor muscle pair dynamics and improve prosthesis control. Their ultimate goal is to create a seamless connection between the peripheral nervous system, electromechanics, and synthetic prosthetics to achieve complete neural control and embodiment. This study marks a decisive step towards that long-term objective and highlights the potential for significant advancements in neuroprosthetic technology.
The research for amputees aims to create prostheses that can mimic the performance of lost limbs by developing bionic legs that can fully respond to the nervous system. Proprioception plays a crucial role in ensuring that movement feels natural by allowing neural control information to be transmitted through an interface connecting agonist-antagonist muscle pairs with muscle-sensing electrodes and decoding signals using artificial intelligence algorithms.
The development of this interface was based on an understanding of how surgical amputations disrupt neural-muscular architecture at the site of amputation, affecting both muscle dynamics and proprioception.
Researchers focused on proprioceptive muscle input by utilizing only 18% of biological neural information while restoring functional gait control – a significant scientific discovery.
In future studies, researchers plan to use magnetic spheres instead of surface electrodes for better monitoring muscles’ pair dynamics while improving prosthesis control.
Ultimately, their goal is complete neural control over synthetic prosthetics through seamless connections between peripheral nervous systems, electromechanics