By Johnathan Subramanian
On Feb. 9th, scientists from the Swiss Institute of Technology in Lausanne announced an exciting development in the world of prosthetics. They had created a new device, MiniTouch, that could be used in conjunction with existing prosthetic devices to allow amputees to sense temperature. While prosthetic devices have significantly improved in terms of motor control and ability to sense touch, they still lacked many other sensory capabilities, so this new technology is seen as a large step forward for the field.
The existing MiniTouch system works by placing a temperature sensor in the fingertip of a prosthetic device’s index finger which then connects back to a thermal simulator on the nerve endings of an amputee’s residual limb. Although the MiniTouch was currently only applied to the index finger, researchers felt confident that it could easily be expanded to all fingers.
In order to find these nerve endings, the researchers had previously conducted a study in which they closely tracked reports of phantom temperature sensations felt on their patient’s amputated limb to the remaining nerve endings in the patient’s residual arm over a period of 130 days. Researchers were able to locate the nerve endings related to temperature sensations for not only the index finger but also the middle, ring, and pinky fingers, which supports their confidence about expanding the technology to all fingers in prosthetic devices.
In their clinical testing, the MiniTouch allowed its user to correctly identify objects of different temperatures as either hot (40 degrees Celsius), room temperature (24 degrees Celsius), or cold (12 degrees Celsius) 100 percent of the time as opposed to just 33 percent of the time when not using the device.
Additionally, the MiniTouch can help users sense moisture and differentiate between materials solely through its temperature capabilities. Because our bodies don’t have any unique receptors for sensing moisture, we normally rely on thermal signals, and, by sensing the speed at which objects change temperature, a MiniTouch user could even differentiate between objects made of copper, glass, and plastic. Moreover, the researchers hope to add even more sensing capabilities to prosthetic devices using the nerve mapping technique they’ve utilized to create MiniTouch.
The components used in the MiniTouch system are just off-the-shelf electronics, and the device is able to be installed into existing prosthetics without surgery or any other invasive procedure. For these reasons, the developers of MiniTouch hope that, after further clinical trials to ensure the safety of the user, the device can be widely integrated into prosthetic limbs already widely available for commercial use.
On Feb. 9th, scientists from the Swiss Institute of Technology in Lausanne announced an exciting development in the world of prosthetics. They had created a new device, MiniTouch, that could be used in conjunction with existing prosthetic devices to allow amputees to sense temperature. While prosthetic devices have significantly improved in terms of motor control and ability to sense touch, they still lacked many other sensory capabilities, so this new technology is seen as a large step forward for the field.
The existing MiniTouch system works by placing a temperature sensor in the fingertip of a prosthetic device’s index finger which then connects back to a thermal simulator on the nerve endings of an amputee’s residual limb. Although the MiniTouch was currently only applied to the index finger, researchers felt confident that it could easily be expanded to all fingers.
In order to find these nerve endings, the researchers had previously conducted a study in which they closely tracked reports of phantom temperature sensations felt on their patient’s amputated limb to the remaining nerve endings in the patient’s residual arm over a period of 130 days. Researchers were able to locate the nerve endings related to temperature sensations for not only the index finger but also the middle, ring, and pinky fingers, which supports their confidence about expanding the technology to all fingers in prosthetic devices.
In their clinical testing, the MiniTouch allowed its user to correctly identify objects of different temperatures as either hot (40 degrees Celsius), room temperature (24 degrees Celsius), or cold (12 degrees Celsius) 100 percent of the time as opposed to just 33 percent of the time when not using the device.
Additionally, the MiniTouch can help users sense moisture and differentiate between materials solely through its temperature capabilities. Because our bodies don’t have any unique receptors for sensing moisture, we normally rely on thermal signals, and, by sensing the speed at which objects change temperature, a MiniTouch user could even differentiate between objects made of copper, glass, and plastic. Moreover, the researchers hope to add even more sensing capabilities to prosthetic devices using the nerve mapping technique they’ve utilized to create MiniTouch.
The components used in the MiniTouch system are just off-the-shelf electronics, and the device is able to be installed into existing prosthetics without surgery or any other invasive procedure. For these reasons, the developers of MiniTouch hope that, after further clinical trials to ensure the safety of the user, the device can be widely integrated into prosthetic limbs already widely available for commercial use.
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