Firstskin , now a limb : researchers havedevelopeda “ feeling ” prosthetic wooden leg that not only simulates some of the sense that would normally be felt by a metrical foot , but also helps to palliate the phantom botheration experience by many amputee .
The artificial limb is the inspiration of Austrian scientist Professor Hubert Egger from the University of Linz , who made newspaper headline five old age ago with his mind - controlled prosthetic weapon system . Although it will be a while before we see his late innovation roll up out , one amputee who has spent the last six months test it out with Egger has partake in with the medium what it has done for him :
“ It ’s like a second letting of life , like being reborn , ” Wolfgang Rangger toldAFP . “ It feels like I have a metrical unit again . I no longer splay on methamphetamine and I can tell whether I take the air on gravel , concrete , sens or sand . I can even feel little stones . ”
While it is unbelievable to find the mind - fuck up on-going developments in artificial limbs , such as three-D - printed machinelike arms or thought - controlled prosthetics , these technologies have unluckily been unable to restore an individual ’s lost sensations . To get the better of this job , Egger developed a two - phase process .
First , a surgeon want to rewire an amputee ’s nerves , connecting the lop end that would have innervate the ft to an area just below the tegument surface of healthy tissue . Next , the animal foot sole of a lightweight stilted limb is fitted with an raiment of sensors that are hooked up to a series of stimulators that meet the stump . This think of that every time a stair is taken , information picked up by the sensors is relayed to the brain .
“ In a healthy foot , skin receptors conduct out this affair but they are obviously missing here . However , the info conductors – the nerves – are still present , they ’re just not being stimulated , ” Egger explain toAFP .
“ The sensors tell the brain there is a pes and the wearer has the impression that it stray off the land when he walk . All things considered , the procedure is a very simple one given the results . ”
As an added incentive , the innovative prosthetic gadget also assist to reduce the so - called “ phantom pain in the neck ” go by many amputees , which is pain that feel like it originate from a miss arm or body part . This phenomenon is thought , at least in part , to be a consequence of the brainiac attempting to adjust to the loss of input from the missing limb , generating interracial signal . As the brain can now get receptive sign once again , it no longer require to attempt information .
Another advantage is that the operative subprogram carries few jeopardy . As Egger explains , “ The only risk is that the nerves do n’t reconnect properly and the flavour conk out to return . ”
Although the limb presently comes with a pricetag of around $ 11,000 , as with any new technology this will hopefully come down over meter as further maturation are made . Ultimately , Egger hopes that this project could improve the lives of those in the Global South as well as those in formulate nations .
