A man whose manus had been amputated has been able to feel the texture of different Earth’s surface using a bionic fingertip , train by scientists from a collection of European institutions . The equipment , which is account in a new bailiwick in the journaleLife , comprise a major step forward within the athletic field of prosthetic engineering , and could extend to the development of new artificial limbs that mimic the functionality of material soundbox function .
The mechanically skillful fingertip consists of sensors that , when go over a rocky control surface , generate electric impulses that mimic the sacking formula ofSA1 afferents , which are thesensory neuronsfound in human fingers .
Researchers tie in the gimmick to the amputee’smedian nerve – which runs down the arm – using electrode . In doing so , they enabled the signals generate by the bionic fingertip to be delivered to the guinea pig ’s genius via the medial nerve , producing a sensory experience almost identical to the feeling of really touching a rough surface .
After the experiment , the amputee participant Dennis Aabo Sørensen explained that “ the stimulation felt almost like what I would feel with my helping hand , ” adding that “ I felt the grain sensations at the tip of the index finger of my phantom deal . ”
Using the machine , Sørensen was capable to tell whether the surfaces were rough or smooth , with an accuracy rate of 96 percentage .
The researchers also connected the fingertip to the median nerve of several non - amputees , and found that they too experienced sensory stimulation resemble the feeling of be given their finger over a surface . Non - amputees could distinguish between rough and smooth texture 77 percent of the sentence .
To try out whether the urge generate by the gadget really did activate the same neuronal circuit that the SA1 afferents of the human hand do , researcher used electroencephalography ( EEG ) to monitor the brainiac activity of non - amputee when using the appliance and when actually touch a scratchy surface . EEG readings were highly similar in both scenario , suggesting that the bionic fingertip truly does excite the brain in the same way as natural fingertips .
While more inquiry is required before the technology can be incorporated into prosthetic arm , the subject field writer are bright that gimmick such as theirs could be used to dramatically improve amputees ’ quality of life .
