Getting diagnosed paralyzed or losing a limb has to be one of the worst individual experiences a person can have. Thankfully, things could be looking up for these patients because DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has restored the sense of touch with a prosthetic arm given to a paralyzed person. Now, the patient can move the limbs with thought.
“We’ve completed the circuit,” said DARPA program manager Justin Sanchez. “Prosthetic limbs that can be controlled by thoughts are showing great promise, but without feedback from signals traveling back to the brain it can be difficult to achieve the level of control needed to perform precise movements. By wiring a sense of touch from a mechanical hand directly into the brain, this
“We’ve completed the circuit,” said DARPA program manager Justin Sanchez. “Prosthetic limbs that can be controlled by thoughts are showing great promise, but without feedback from signals traveling back to the brain it can be difficult to achieve the level of control needed to perform precise movements. By wiring a sense of touch from a mechanical hand directly into the brain, this