Bionic legs plugged directly into nervous system enable unprecedented 'level of brain control'

A pioneering surgical procedure provides amputees with bionic limbs that are directly controlled by the nervous system, enabling patients to sense the limb's position in space.

"No one has been able to show this level of brain control that produces a natural gait, where the human's nervous system is controlling the movement, not a robotic control algorithm," Herr said. Electrical signals from the central nervous system, which relay instructions for movement, can then pass between these muscles, and be detected by electrodes in a newly installed prosthetic limb. The signals are picked up by a robotic controller in the prosthesis that enables it to control a patient's gait, or way of walking. Signals about the position and movement of a patient's prosthesis are then fed back to the nervous system.

Current technology for prosthetic limbs already enables amputees to achieve a natural walking gait, according to the team who conducted the surgery. However, these prosthetic limbs rely on robotic sensors and controllers to actually move in a predefined, algorithmic pattern, the team said. AMI, in contrast, enables the limb to dynamically respond to signals from the body.

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