The LifeHand project entailed, for the first time, an implant in two different nerves of the arm (median and ulnar), of four latest-generation tf-LIFE electrodes, each one equipped with eight recording/stimulation independent channels.

Having such vast amount of communication channels (32 in total) between patient and biomechatronic prosthesis, available through the four tf-LIFE electrodes, significantly improved the effectiveness of sending information from/to brain Moreover, after the implantation surgery the electrodes were connected to a sensorized hand prosthesis, controlled by the subject through neural channels, rather than mechanical and muscular, and capable at the same time of returning sensorial information to the patient.

The experimentation will be repeated in the future on other volunteers, to confirm the effectiveness of the tf-LIFE electrodes as neural interfaces for hand prosthesis control. In the meantime, the mechanical aspects of the prosthesis will be optimized, as well as the electronics and software applications necessary for analyzing the recorded neural signals. In addition, the components of the bio-mimetic hand will be miniaturized.