A CHALLENGE: LIFEHAND

By implanting neural interfaces in the median and ulnar arm nerves of a subject with an amputated upper limb, researchers from Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa succeeded in connecting the patient’s brain with a biomechatronic prosthesis equipped with five independent fingers. During one month experimentation, Pierpaolo Petruzziello was able to move the artificial hand, by using only cerebral impulses. He succeeded in performing three movements defined by the research programme: thumb-forefinger opposition, fist clasp, little finger movement.

The results of LifeHand Project are made known after real-time data collection and analysis. Data analysis was necessary to ensure that prosthesis movements have been performed by only cerebral impulses and correspond to the patient’s real intentions in more than 95 percent of the cases.

Objectives of the LifeHand