While movies and video games often show smart and functional robotic limbs, the real ones are actually neither that functional nor convenient.
Neuroengineer Silvestro Micera is working on using technology to help people regain lost sensory and motor functions due to traumatic events or neurological disorders.
Let's find out more about how it works.
How it was detected
In a recent study, Micera and his team explored using diaphragm movement to control a robotic arm, essentially giving a healthy person a third arm.
This study is part of the Third-Arm project, which aims to create a wearable robotic arm for daily tasks and rescue missions.
The findings reveal that people can control extra arms extensively, even at the same time as their natural arms.
The main goal is not just to make people more capable but also to understand the nervous system better.
Micera believes that challenging the brain with new tasks can provide insights useful for assistive devices and stroke rehabilitation.
To test diaphragm control, the researchers created a virtual environment where users quickly and intuitively learned to control a virtual arm.
Why it's important
The research marks a step toward understanding the cognitive constraints of augmentation and opens avenues for developing assistive technologies.
Previously, we talked about preserving memory.
