New Prosthetics are able to talk to your brain.

Phantom pain is a well-documented phenomenon, but new prosthetics are being invented that allow someone wearing the prosthetic arm to feel the arm as if it is part of his/her body (e.g. feeling heat and cold, picking up eggs, tying shoes—this is called proprioreception).

Todd Kuiken, Director of amputee programs at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) has performed an operation that takes the four main nerves from the arm and fastens them beneath the skin on the chest.  

A computer in the forearm of the prosthetic is wired to a mechanical hand and to a “plunger” device in the chest above the four main nerves.  The mechanical hand sends signals along the wires to the plunger, which then pushes the skin on the chest.  The pressure from the plunger stimulates the nerves in the chest and the sensations are transmitted to the brain.  The brain reads the signals as if the nerves were still connected to the arm and hand that were lost.  The brain does not read the signals as coming from the chest; it reads them as coming from the prosthetic hand, as if the prosthetic hand were part of your natural arm.

These prosthetic arms can be used to feed oneself or dress oneself with greater ease.  The prosthetic responds to thoughts.  The wearer can think about raising his/her arm and the prosthetic responds.  Researchers at RIC hope to use this technology not only in prosthetics, but also in the brain/machine interface for wheelchair users.

For more information, read Kennedy, Kelly, “Breakthrough for the Disabled: ‘Bionic’ arm brings back sense of touch—technology links computer, nerves,” Chicago Tribune, June 23, 2005 at www.chicagotribune.com.

For more information about the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), go to www.ric.org

To read about Dr. Kuiken’s research, also look at:

Kuiken TA, Dumanian GA, Lipschuzt RD, Miller LA and Stubblefield KA. The use of targeted muscle reinnervation for improved myoelectric prosthesis control in a bilateral shoulder disarticulation amputee. Prosthetics and Orthotics International, 28(3) pp.245-253. 2004.