Posted on 03/05/2020 5:26:24 AM PST by BenLurkin
In a major advance in mind-controlled prosthetics for amputees...researchers have tapped faint, latent signals from arm nerves and amplified them to enable real-time, intuitive, finger-level control of a robotic hand.
...developed a way to tame temperamental nerve endings, separate thick nerve bundles into smaller fibers that enable more precise control, and amplify the signals coming through those nerves. The approach involves tiny muscle grafts and machine learning algorithms borrowed from the brain-machine interface field.
One of the biggest hurdles in mind-controlled prosthetics is tapping into a strong and stable nerve signal to feed the bionic limb. Some research groups—those working in the brain-machine interface field—go all the way to the primary source, the brain. This is necessary when working with people who are paralyzed. But it's invasive and high-risk.
For people with amputations, peripheral nerves—the network that fans out from the brain and spinal cord—have been interesting, but they hadn't yet led to a long-term solution for a couple of reasons: The nerve signals they carry are small. And other approaches to picking up those signals involved probes that eavesdropped by force. These "nails in nerves," as researchers sometimes refer to them, lead to scar tissue, which muddles that already faint signal over time.
The U-M team came up with better way. They wrapped tiny muscle grafts around the nerve endings in the participants' arms. These "regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces," or RPNIs, offer severed nerves new tissue to latch on to. This prevents the growth of nerve masses called neuromas that lead to phantom limb pain. And it gives the nerves a megaphone. The muscle grafts amplify the nerve signals. Two patients had electrodes implanted in their muscle grafts, and the electrodes were able to record these nerve signals and pass them on to a prosthetic hand in real time.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
That’s pretty awesome.
What they are working on that interests me (in my ever selfish mode) is a way to turn OFF damaged nerves from causing pain, AS WELL as regenerating new nerves.
I remember my lawyer brother telling me that his lawyer friend said 10 years ago that litigation for paralysis would dry up sooner than later because of advances in the field.
He was unfortunately many years behind.
Let’s hope soon though
skynet becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th.
Extremely cool stuff.
And his fathers name is Darth Vader...
Very impressive!
Absolutely marvelous.
There’s that evil Western medicine again!/sarc.
Consider the possibilities. A bright hacker could see opportunities in such prosthetics.
Have to admit, that was first thing that popped into mind.
WOW! Thanks for posting. HOORAY U of M scientists.
"Why you hitting yourself? Why you hitting yourself?"
Wonderful news. This is nothing short of miraculous BUT is the development teams diverse? Does it include POC and trans people?
Being alive in this time sure cuts both ways.
Need that meme that shows a diverse team of software developers: one ensure the coffee doesn’t come from corporations involved in developing the Amazon, another organizes cultural understanding meetings, and so on until the last member who writes the code.
How wonderful. May God bless and prosper this research.
Prayers up for you.
Hey thanks that was nice :)
It’s not chronic but when it flares up..ouch lol
And it’s been 11 years since I’ve had difficulty moving any body part..it was the left side and it’s Fine now.
Doctors said i’d heal over 2 years and then healing would stop.
Healing didn’t START until about 3 to 5 years and 6 to 7 years were the biggest and best healing events.
God is great.
Doctors needs to listen to patients and stop killing hope sometimes! :)
Again, thank you
You are welcome.
Glad you are defying the doctors’ predictions.
“Being alive in this time sure cuts both ways.”
Nicely done.
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