ZURICH — Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, or ETH Zurich, and several other European universities collaborated to create a leg neuroprosthesis that sends sensory information to nerves in amputees' leg stump.<br /><br />A study published in Science Translational Medicine detailed the researchers' findings.<br /><br />The sensorized prosthetic was tested on three different amputees as they conducted different activities such as walking up and down the stairs with and without the neuroprosthesis. <br /><br />The study found that the sensorized bionic prosthetic allowed the participants to successfully feel obstacles underneath their foot, prevented them from falling and allowed them to walk faster.<br /><br />Scientists implanted tiny electrodes into the amputees' residual nerves and placed an insole with sensors under the bionic foot as well as sensors above the prosthetic knee. <br /><br />Signals were then sent to the residual nerves as the person walked. <br /><br />The nerves were able to send sensory information to the amputees' brain, allowing them to feel their knee, heel and the rest of their foot as they walked.<br /><br />In a press release from ETH Zurich, researchers explained that this technology improves the health of amputees as it would reduce phantom pain in their limb and improve their walking ability.<br /><br />The scientists noted that the study was limited as there were only three participants and said that more volunteers as well as in-home assessments were needed to provide a stronger assessment to the study's findings.
