Intelligent prosthetic appliances as an essential condition for rehabilitation ATO fighters

September, 16, 201507:241454

The United States tested a strange prosthesis.

Johns Hopkins, together with the Agency prospective defense research and development the US has successfully tested the prosthesis, which the patient can not only manage through the power of thought, but feel things around.

The prosthesis was manufactured in the Applied Physics Laboratory of the University of Engineering DARPA for 28-year-old patient who was paralyzed because of the injury, in which the injured spinal cord. The researchers placed electrodes in the motor areas of the cerebral cortex, allowing the patient to control the prosthesis.

In addition, the prosthesis is equipped with special sensors that recognize the pressure from collisions with different surfaces and transmit a signal to the associated electrodes placed on postcentral gyrus of the brain. This allowed the patient to not only feels different surfaces, but also to determine which of the finger prosthesis detected pressure. According to researchers, as a result of tests it became clear that the brain perceives the signals from the prosthesis as almost natural.

The main findings were described by researchers at DARPA future technologies forum in St. Louis. More information about the work waiting for peer review and will be provided later in the publication in a scientific journal.

Previously, DARPA agency already has made significant advances in functionality prostheses. In 2014 the Office of Quality Control of Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of DARPA funded prosthesis “DEKA Arm System”, which is controlled by the user by using signals recorded by electrodes implanted in the muscle.

The latest version of “DEKA Arm” called “Luke”, a reference to the futuristic prosthetic character of “Star Wars” Luke Skywalker.

Prosthesis “DEKA Arm” are used to perform complex tasks, but according to scientists, it is not enough that would make these tasks much simpler and more natural – touch.

According to DARPA: “We locked loop embedding sense of touch from mechanical arms straight to the brain, we have built potentially able to create virtually uninterrupted biotech natural restoration of motor functions.”

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