Ultra-precise, mind-controlled prosthetic hand for amputees via RPNI neural interface

In this major advance for mind-controlled prosthetics, U-M research led by Paul Cederna and Cindy Chestek demonstrates an ultra-precise prosthetic interface technology that taps faint latent signals from nerves in the arm and amplifies them to enable real-time, intuitive, finger-level control of a robotic hand.

For in-depth coverage of the research:

U-M’s approach to neuroprosthetics centers on the Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI)—a small graft of muscle tissue surgically attached to the end of a severed nerve in an amputee’s arm.

While other neural interfaces are harmful to nerves, the RPNI promotes healthy nerve growth and acts as a bioamplifier, converting faint neural signals sent from the brain into large, recordable muscle signals that remain stable for years. Combined with machine learning algorithms, these signals enable intuitive, real-time mind control of advanced robotic prosthetic hands.

The research is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine and is titled, "A regenerative peripheral nerve interface allows real-time control of an artificial hand in upper limb amputees."

See it covered in:

Paul Cederna is the Robert Oneal Collegiate Professor of Plastic Surgery and a professor of biomedical engineering.

Cindy Chestek is an associate professor of biomedical engineering and part of U-M’s Robotics Institute.

------

The University of Michigan College of Engineering is one of the world’s top engineering schools. Michigan Engineering is home to 12 highly-ranked departments, and its research budget is among the largest of any public university.

Follow Michigan Engineering:

Contact Michigan Engineering:

[noncalamari]

No better testimonial than that little chuckle at 1:43 -- clearly a big step forward.

[CrusadingJello]

Seeing this, I'm honestly wondering what's going to appear in 20+ years.

[michaeldaugherty]

Congratulations Paul....truly world changing work. It's awesome. The entire Michigan team deserves high praise.

[Jake-beos]

I haven’t seen or heard anything about this in 2 years, where’s the progress on this? How is this coming along for development for others?

[ashlyknapp]

Working with the American College of Surgeons; couldn't you bioengineers get together and agree on a common or universal prosthetic plug (male) that amplifies the micro muscular signals after the elbow. This prosthetic plug could then fit a variety of different prosthetic hands (female, snap-on, quick change) as they are improved and developed through the decades. Just dreaming.You are all doing wonderful work I appreciate your thoughtfulness in making the world a better place

[anonymous]

It's so cool that this technology is finally making tangible progress. Once this matures and develops in scope, the lives of millions of amputees will improve immeasurably and we may even have people voluntarily "upgrading" their natural limbs for more agile, faster, stronger robotic limbs.

Not only that but the technology could be adapted so that a person could remotely control a robot, say in a dangerous environment or space. A person sitting in a control room in London could plugin and control a full sized robot in the reactor at Chernobyl or in a mine field in Afghanistan. We end up fighting wars using these things as proxy's.

It's like the past 50 years of sci fi stories are finally coming true.

[lesliespeaker]

Using muscles to boost the signal is genius. It's been 4 years since the video came out, I wonder how they are doing. And so I wonder if we will ever be able to skip that step and connect directly to the nerves or maybe having this buffer made of musculur cells will always be beneficial and simpler especially when it comes to longevity of the implant.

[ocsartobi]

In my lifetime I've seen prosthetic limbs from grabber hooks and unmovable rubber hands to this. Who knows what other life improving tech I'll see before I'm gone.

[jcman-lplg]

its going to be amazing to see how far we will get in half a decade to a decade

[rob-profoundlydapper]

this is the most advanced one I've seen holy shit

[codypatton]

My god. They did it. Finally, thumb movement that isnt manually resetting the thumb.

[tylerguitar]

Incredible. We are almost at the Luke Skywalker hand... great job guys!

[brookestephen]

Why aren't these standard issue on Astronaut EVA Space Suits? Wouldn't this be a good thing?

[Leviatiemily]

And 4 years before that there was another awesome thought based prostetic too. Im showing my dad videos to show how long weve been developing them for. We were talking about Ghost in the Shell(anime/manga) and how long kt qould be before we can get the cybernetic bodies.

[khalifakenta]

This is what make humanity beautiful... 😣💯

[arnabdasgupta]

How prosthetics connect to brain? What the sensor in the prosthetics is sensing - does it go to brain via the peripheral nerves that are still good in the healthy part of the limb or bypass that and directly send signal to brain? Thanks. Amazing achievement.

[Bippy]

THANK YOU, MICHIGAN ENGINEERING TEAM… For mind control of prosthetic limbs. May your discoveries be clinically applied globally. Accidents happen. Mind control limbs can be part of the solution.
PS… Please make them affordable too.

[garylcamp]

Is this Lab only or is it useable in real world? If real world, is it about to be released as a real prosthetic? How much might it cost? These articles always report something and then it fades away.

[Hoodgail]

Where can i get this? i wonna be able to beat my meant again

[NeWx]

I was listening to the soundtrack from deus ex human revolution when I read the article on science daily.. oh boy.