New Prospects for Prosthetics

I found this article today on prosthetics. This is something I want to get into with Biomedical Engineering. Learning about the nervous system in class encouraged me to seek out what developments are being made in prosthetics using the nervous system to control the new limb. This article talks about a surgical technique called targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR). Ideally this technique will use brain signals to reach the missing limb. During the amputation, the severed nerves will be connected to other muscles in the body. When it comes time to attach the prosthetic, electrodes will be connected to the muscles and used to communicate with the prosthetic. This is still in a early research stage. I suggest looking at the visual aid slides on the page. It will help with further understanding on the technique.

http://scienceinsociety.northwestern.edu/content/articles/2009/kuiken/new-prospects-for-prosthetics