Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio have developed a new Neural Electrical Simulation feature for hand prosthetics which allows amputee wearers to reawaken their lost sense of touch.
Dustin Tyler and Emily Grazcyk, two of the developers of the new prosthetic hand, shed light on the functions of the prosthetic hand in an interview with ResearchGate.
Asked about the concept of their design, Tyler and Grazcyk explained that the prosthetic hand acts like a natural hand through the use of touch sensors which picks up information about how much pressure is exerted from the grip of the user.
This information is then converted into a neural code which travels through the nerves via small electrodes surgically implanted around the amputees' nerves.
The neural code goes to the brain which then perceives the artificial touch as a genuine touch coming from the amputees' missing hand.
The researchers tested the prosthetic hand on two amputees according to a study released by Science Translational Magazine.
"Our findings demonstrate that artificial sensation in the missing hands of amputees can achieve the same characteristics and sensitivity as natural sensation in a real hand." Tyler and Grazcyk said. "This is a critical step forward for sensory restoration for amputees because prosthetic users need to know how hard they are grasping things, not just when they make contact with an object."
According to their test run on the two amputees, the subjects described the newly upgraded prosthesis like an actual hand. The subjects also developed a sense of confidence as they have become aware of their prosthetic hand due to the newfound sense of touch.
Tyler and Grazcyk added that development of fully implantable sensory and motor restoration system will proceed to clinical trials in three years and the completion of the full sensory restoration system will become available after 10 years.