New Technology Allows the Mind to Control Prosthetic Limbs

Our brains, which control our movements, may soon be able to control the movement of prosthetic limbs as well.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is working with civilian researchers to develop prosthetic limbs that the wearer can control with his thoughts

The product that is the closest to completion uses a method called targeted muscle reinnervation, or TMR. It employs the existing nerves near an amputation site, providing the person wearing the prosthesis with the ability to control it directly using signals from those muscles. The hope is that everyday activities like lifting a cup of coffee or tossing a ball will be less painful and much more intuitive with the new technology