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Thought-Controlled Prosthesis Prepared for Human Testing

Rebecca Kutzer-Rice | Date: 08-19-10 | Comments

A team of researchers at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory is gearing up to start human testing of a new kind of prosthetic limb. Wired to and controlled by the brain, the limb could revolutionize life for amputees.

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Thought-Controlled Prosthesis Prepared for Human Testing
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) a $34.5 million contract to begin testing a new prosthetic limb on human patients. The Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL) is a radical new type of prosthesis, as it is controlled by the brain.

Today's artificial limbs already provide a great deal of adaptability for amputees. But current technologies�such as hook-and-cable and myoelectric limbs, which convert muscle movements into electric signals�are still limited by the physical parts surrounding the prosthesis. Because they are not controlled by the brain, these prostheses do not move or act quite like natural limbs.

The Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL) offers 22 degrees of motions and weighs just 9 pounds, the same as a human arm (source: DARPA/JHUAPL/HDT Engineering Services).

After a four-year effort also funded by DARPA, the Johns Hopkins lab has developed several prototypes and settled on a final design, the MPL. This advanced limb provides 22 degrees of detailed motion, including individual movement of each finger. Unlike traditional prostheses, which are often quite heavy, the MPL weighs only 9 pounds�the weight of a natural human arm. The artificial limb has proved to be as dexterous as a natural limb and offers unparalleled mechanical agility. But its most promising feature is the ability to connect with the human brain.

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