23 February 2019

Bionic Hand Allows Proprioception

Researchers have developed a next-generation bionic hand that allows amputees to regain their proprioception. The bionic hand, developed by researchers from EPFL, the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and the A. Gemelli University Polyclinic in Rome, enables amputees to regain a very subtle, close-to-natural sense of touch. Scientists managed to reproduce the feeling of proprioception, which is our brain's capacity to instantly and accurately sense the position of our limbs during and after movement, even in the dark or with our eyes closed.


This next-generation device allows patients to reach out for an object on a table and to ascertain an item's consistency, shape, position and size without having to look at it. The prosthesis has been successfully tested on several patients and works by stimulating the nerves in the amputee's stump. The nerves can then provide sensory feedback to the patients in real time – almost like they do in a natural hand. Results show that amputees can effectively process tactile and position information received simultaneously via intraneural stimulation.