Neuroprosthetics—The Game Changer

In a recent episode of Grey’s Anatomy, Dr. Torres and Dr. Hunt initiated a clinical trial that aimed to provide war veteran amputees with a prosthetic leg so they would be able to walk again. Although many of the patients were victims of severe motor nerve damage, the team of doctors were finally able to devise a way to integrate the sensory and motor neurons in a feedback mechanism that would be detected by the sensors on the prosthetic, providing the individual with a full range of motion. McDreamy to the rescue! This episode not only demonstrated new technological advancements that aid those who previously had no hope to walk or carry out day-to-activities, but also introduced a revolutionary design of prosthetics that is already changing lives.

Within the last 40-50 years, doctors and engineers have made substantial progress in the field of neuroprosthetics, utilizing new and improved skills and equipment to make the prosthetic feasible, accessible, and lifelike. However, most amputees in developing countries are unable to take advantage of prosthetic care because they simply cannot afford it. Over 30 million people around the world live with a missing limb as a result of amputation, and only 20% of these individuals can afford prosthetics in order to regain mobility. In order to overcome this obstacle, Dr. Akhtar and his colleagues introduced a myoelectric prosthetic hand for those individuals with transradial amputations. This hand was built from a 3D printer and off-the-shelf parts, making it cost-effective, durable, and efficient for consistent force and movement. In another study, Dr. Max Ortiz Catalan and his colleagues at the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden explore ways of transmitting motor action to the prosthetic or artificial arm. Their primary focus was to anchor muscle signals directly onto the prosthetic rather than recording motor activity visa vie the skin. Thus, they inserted a titanium connector anchored to the prosthetic directly onto the bone, which resulted in greater stability and freedom of motion. Electrodes were then passed through the system and implanted onto the muscle responsible for eliciting movement. In this way, motor signals directly integrated onto the prosthetic arm, resulting in both fine and complex motor pursuits.

Prosthetic and artificial limbs are revolutionizing healthcare and providing individuals with a new sense of hope to perform the simple daily tasks we take for granted. Both Dr. Akhtar and Dr. Catalan’s research and development of prosthetic arms and hands is both commendable and inspirational to those who will take these innovations a step further and change the face of prosthetics.

      

Shen, Helen. "Artificial Arms Get Closer to the Real Thing." Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group.

Slade, Patrick, Aadeel Akhtar, Mary Nguyen, and Timothy Bretl. "Tact: Design and Performance of an Open-Source, Affordable, Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand."