Prosthetics controlled like real limbs

Major advances in neuroscience could lead to a
wider range of brain-controlled prosthetic limbs that can
restore mobility for people. (Credit: © ktsdesign / Fotolia)

 Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley working with Champalimaud Center in Portugal have demonstrated that the brain is more flexible and trainable than previously thought.
Their new study, published March 4 in the advanced online publication of the journal Nature, shows that through a process called plasticity, parts of the brain can be trained to do something they normally do not do; like controlling a prosthetic limb for example.


The new study advances work by researchers who have been studying the brain circuits used in natural movement in order to mimic them for the development of prosthetic devices.
"What we hope is that our new insights into the brain's wiring will lead to a wider range of better prostheses that feel as close to natural as possible," said Jose Carmena, UC Berkeley associate professor of electrical engineering, cognitive science and neuroscience.
Full Story at Science Daily 04-03-2012