Almost like a real one
Scientists are developing advanced lower limb prostheses
According to a new study, a prosthesis that measures foot pressure and knee angle can facilitate all types of physical activity for an amputee patient, according to a press release from ETH Zurich Feeling legs again improves amputees’ health.
Article by Petrini et al. Sensory feedback restoration in leg amputees improves walking speed, metabolic cost and phantom pain is published in the journal Nature Medicine.
A prosthetic leg that can feel helped the two men walk faster, smoother and with more confidence. An artificial leg equipped with sensors that detect pressure and movement also helps to cope with phantom pains resulting from the absence of legs in men.
Restoring these lost signals can significantly improve the lives of people who use prosthetic limbs.
Neuroengineer Stanisa Raspopovich from EHT Zürich and his colleagues tested the device on two men, both of whom had their leg amputated above the knee. Their new prosthetic legs were equipped with seven sensors that detect the pressure of the foot on the ground, and one sensor that decodes the angles of the knee joint. Electrodes implanted into the sciatic nerve just above the amputation site stimulated the nerve with signals from sensors on the prosthesis.
Other photos and videos can be viewed here – VM.
"If you close your eyes, you will think that you have your own leg," said test participant Savo Panik.
When these sensory signals were present, the two men walked faster and more confidently, even over difficult sandy terrain. Moreover, the unpleasant sensations of pain from their missing leg decreased. After about a month of use, one of the men reported no pain at all, and the other man said his pain had become very rare.
As part of the study, the electrodes were removed after about three months. Longer trials with more people will allow researchers to fine tune the device.
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