The first bionic leg controlled only by the brain – Biotechnology

Seven amputee patients have regained a more natural and faster walk thanks to the first prosthetic leg controlled entirely by the nervous system, without the aid of sensors and robotic controllers that move the limb using pre-defined gait algorithms. The results were published in the journal Nature Medicine by MIT in collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The novelty lies in the use of a new interface that connects the prosthesis to the nervous system of patients undergoing a certain amputation, maintaining awareness of the position of the limb in space.
The bionic leg was tested for walking on flat ground and up an incline, for walking on an incline, for going up and down stairs, and for walking on a flat surface while avoiding obstacles.
In all of these cases, the prostheses allowed them to perform movements 41% faster than conventional prostheses, walking at a speed similar to that of people without amputations. Obstacles along the way were also overcome more easily. All movements were more natural: for example, patients pointed their prosthetic toes upwards while climbing stairs or over an obstacle, and they better coordinated the movements of the prosthesis with those of their healthy limb. They were also able to get off the ground with the same strength as people without amputations.

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