The First Person to Experience Physical Sensations Through a Prosthetic Hand

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Recently, an important milestone in the prosthetics industry was achieved when a quadriplegic volunteer was able to feel physical sensations through a prosthetic hand for the first time. This breakthrough result comes from a research project conducted by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), funded by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), and was announced in November 2023.

This study not only opens up a new possibility in controlling prosthetic limbs but also allows users to perceive physical sensations such as pressure or touch. According to an official statement from APL and DARPA, researchers implanted electrode arrays into the sensory and motor regions of a paralyzed volunteer’s brain to enable him to feel the sensations from the prosthetic hand. These electrode arrays helped transmit sensory signals from the prosthetic hand directly to the brain.

“This advancement, achieved through advanced neural technology, promises a future where people with disabilities or those living with quadriplegia may not only control prosthetic devices but also accurately perceive the physical sensations they experience,” according to Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (2023).

Initial tests showed that the volunteer could precisely identify which finger of the prosthetic hand was being touched, even when blindfolded. “The sensation is almost identical to when my real hand is being touched,” the volunteer shared. This proves that tactile sensations can be recreated through electrical signals, opening up significant opportunities for developing technologies that help people with disabilities better interact with the world around them. This is an important step forward, not only technologically but also in its application to assist people with disabilities.

This is not the first time scientists have explored connecting prosthetic limbs with sensory feedback, but this work marks a significant leap in bringing this technology closer to real-world applications. This technology not only provides hope for people with disabilities but could also have broader applications in fields such as human-machine interfaces in the future.

Scientists hope that in the future, this technology will be widely developed, helping restore sensory capabilities for individuals with disabilities or neurological disorders, bringing a brighter future to those facing life’s challenges.