A team of scientists has created new technology that could allow amputees to control prosthetics by using the power of their minds
AMPUTEES could use the power of their minds to control new AI robotic arms, research shows.
A team of scientists has created prosthetic technology that enables people to control robot arms by using their brain impulses.
The University of Minnesota team of researchers came together to find a more intuitive option for amputees, a new study shows.
“With prosthetic systems, when amputees want to move a finger, they don’t actually think about moving a finger,” research scientist Jules Anh Tuan Nguyen said.
“They’re trying to activate the muscles in their arms since that’s what the system reads.”
Current technology forces amputees to use the remaining muscles in their arms to move their prosthetics.
Sophisticated models can use sensors to detect small muscle movements, but the majority of prosthetics rely on a wire and harness system that uses the shoulder and chest, SciTechDaily reported.
Nguyen said the research team is trying to use brain impulses that humans normally rely on to move their arms, as both of the current options have a steep learning curve.
“It’s a lot more intuitive than any commercial system out there,” Nguyen said.
“For our technology, because we interpret the nerve signal directly, it knows the patient’s intention.
