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A team of scientists from Ossur, an Icelandic company specialized in producing orthopedic products, has managed to create bionic prosthetic limbs that amputees can control with their mind.
The limbs can be moved thanks to small myoelectric sensors implanted in the residual muscles of the patients, the scientists explained.
The engineers from Ossur have implanted small sensors in the muscles of two individuals who have had their limbs amputated.
The prosthetic limbs can be moved using a receiver, according to the creators of the limbs.
Jon Sigurdsson, the CEO of Ossur, announced that this is the first time ever when someone is able to control their artificial limbs using their mind.
One of the men who tried the latest prosthetic implants Gummi Olafsson. He said that he lost his right foot in an accident when he was young.
According to Olafsson, the innovative implants allowed him to move his bionic limb effortlessly.
Olafsson said that as soon as he put his prosthetic foot, it only took him 10 minutes to be able to control it.
He could do normal things like sitting up, walk, sit down and move his foot however he liked.
Olafsson said that he was able to this only by moving his muscles, which felt very strange at first, but soon got used to it.
The signals sent from the implant to the brain, and then to the nerve endings in the muscles helped him move the prosthetic foot, the engineers said.
The new technology called Implanted Myoelectric Sensors (IMES) is about 5 mm long and 3mm wide. The sensors were provided by an American company called Alfred Mann Foundation, which specializes in developing medical technology for disabled patients.
Olafsson said that his body is continuing to adapt to the new prosthetic limb every day and allows him better control over it.
He has had the IMES implant and the Ossur bionic limb for more than a year.
Ossur said that it is planning to continue with this technology, improving it in order to help as many amputee patients as they can.
Thorvaldur Ingvarsson, an orthopedic surgeon and director of Ossur’s department of research and development, said he implanted the sensors in the patients while they were under anesthetized locally.
Ingvarsson said the procedure was a standard one but its effects on the patient are life-changing.
The doctor said that the new technology allows the patient to use the limbs both subconsciously and intentionally.
Image Source: thestack
