First Pair Of Prosthetic Arms Controlled By Man's Thoughts
- 9 years ago
For the first time, a man who had both of his arms amputated has been able to control two prosthetic arms using his brain.
For the first time, a man who had both of his arms amputated has been able to control two prosthetic arms using his brain.
Scientists from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory attached the arms to nerves in Les Baugh’s brain so that he could move them both at the same time with just his thoughts.
The Modular Prosthetic Limbs, or MPLs have been used before, but this is the first successfully testing of two of them together.
Les had to get targeted muscle reinnervation surgery to manipulate the nerves in his brain that control arm and hand movement.
After ten days of training, he was able to use the prosthetic arms to pick up and move cups from one shelf to another.
For now, Les can only use the prosthetics in the lab for further testing, but eventually he will be able to bring a version of the arms home for everyday use.
For the first time, a man who had both of his arms amputated has been able to control two prosthetic arms using his brain.
Scientists from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory attached the arms to nerves in Les Baugh’s brain so that he could move them both at the same time with just his thoughts.
The Modular Prosthetic Limbs, or MPLs have been used before, but this is the first successfully testing of two of them together.
Les had to get targeted muscle reinnervation surgery to manipulate the nerves in his brain that control arm and hand movement.
After ten days of training, he was able to use the prosthetic arms to pick up and move cups from one shelf to another.
For now, Les can only use the prosthetics in the lab for further testing, but eventually he will be able to bring a version of the arms home for everyday use.