Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to control a bionic prosthesis as naturally as a real limb? For the first time in history, a team of researchers has managed to create a system that not only allows mental control of an artificial hand, but also returns incredibly realistic tactile sensations to the brain. A breakthrough that promises to change the lives of millions of people forever.
Artificial Touch Becomes Reality
The history of bionic prosthetic research has reached an exciting new chapter. Scientists at the Cortical Bionics Research Group have developed a brain-computer interface that represents a major qualitative leap in the field of artificial sensations. Their bionic prosthesis is capable of reproducing the most complex tactile sensations ever obtained, opening up new perspectives for people with disabilities.
The research team used a technology called intracranial microcortical stimulation (ICMS) of the brain, which has been shown to generate vivid tactile sensations on people's skin. As the researcher explains James Valley leading the research (that I link to you here), previous implementations of this technology have focused mainly on reproducing the location and intensity of sensations.
While contact position and force are crucial components of feedback, the sense of touch is much richer than this, as it also conveys information about texture, material properties, the contours of objects, and the movement of objects on the skin.
Bionic prosthesis, a promising experiment
The researchers recruited two volunteers with spinal cord injuries, implanting electrodes in the sensory and motor regions of the brain that control the hands and arms. These implants allowed them to record and decode the different patterns of electrical activity produced by the volunteers' brains as they thought about using their paralyzed limbs.
Participants were then hooked up to a device that acted as a bionic limb. With just their thoughts, they could control the prosthesis, which was equipped with sensors that communicated with the brain implants. The researchers were then able to translate and send more complex sensations related to touch through the bionic prosthesis directly to the volunteers’ brain implants.
A step towards the future
Valle, researcher at the Chalmers University of Technology, emphasizes the uniqueness of this research in the panorama of brain-computer interfaces. For the first time, tactile sensations related to orientation, curvature, movement and three-dimensional shapes have been transmitted.
As mentioned, the results were surprising: the volunteers’ “enriched” feedback also improved their ability to perform complex tasks with the bionic prosthesis, such as moving objects with greater precision. Of course, despite this exciting progress, researchers are aware that there is still a long way to go.
Bionic prosthesis, the next steps
More sophisticated sensors and advanced robotic technologies will be needed, such as prosthetic skin, to fully capture the sensations that can now be encoded and transmitted to the user. In addition, more advanced brain implants will be needed to increase the range of sensations that can be stimulated.
While many challenges remain, this latest study offers evidence that the path to restoring touch is becoming clearer. With each new finding, we move closer to a future where a prosthetic body part is not just a functional tool, but a way to experience the world.
The next phase of research will be to test these systems in more natural environments, such as patients' homes. The ultimate goal is to improve the independence and quality of life of people with disabilities.