Seven amputee patients have returned to walk with more natural and faster movements thanks to the first leg prosthesis completely controlled by the nervous system, without the aid of sensors and robotic controllers that move the limb through predefined gait algorithms. The result was published in Nature Medicine from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The novelty of the bionic leg is the use of a new interface that connects the prosthesis with the nervous system of patients undergoing a particular amputation surgery that preserves the perception of the position of the limb in space. The bionic leg has been tested for:
- Walking on flat surfaces and on slopes.
- Go down a ramp.
- Going up and down stairs.
- Walk on a flat surface avoiding obstacles.
Revolutionary Brain-Controlled Bionic Leg: Tests and Promising Results
In all these situations, the prosthesis allowed movements to be performed 41% faster than traditional prostheses, reaching a speed comparable to that of people without amputations. Obstacles along the path were also more easily avoided.
All movements were more natural: for example, patients pointed their prosthetic toes upward when climbing stairs or stepping over an obstacle, and they coordinated their prosthetic limb better with their intact limb. They were also able to stand up from the ground with the same strength as non-amputees.
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