In this episode, we discuss a breakthrough from ETH Zurich to mimic natural foot signals to the brain using state of the art neuroprosthetics. 

Podcast: Neuroprosthetics: The Next Step Towards Limb Reconstruction

Robotic exoskeletons designed to help humans with walking or physically demanding work have been the stuff of sci-fi lore for decades. Remember <a href="https://youtu.be/jtVygtT8VIc" target="_blank">Ellen Ripley in that Power Loader in Alien</a>? Or the crazy mobile platform <a href="https://youtu.be/Z2OLmFw9wR8?si=hIsWKAiRYAWGWbpP&t=85" target="_blank">George McFly wore in 2015 in Back to the Future, Part II</a> because he threw his back out?Researchers are working on real-life robotic assistance that could protect workers from painful injuries and help stroke patients regain their mobility. So far, they have required extensive calibration and context-specific tuning, which keeps them largely limited to research labs.Mechanical engineers at Georgia Tech may be on the verge of changing that, allowing exoskeleton technology to be deployed in homes, workplaces, and more.A team of researchers in <a href="https://me.gatech.edu/faculty/young" target="_blank">Aaron Young’s</a> lab have developed a universal approach to controlling robotic exoskeletons that requires no training, no calibration, and no adjustments to complicated algorithms. Instead, users can don the “exo” and go.Their system uses a kind of artificial intelligence called deep learning to autonomously adjust how the exoskeleton provides assistance, and they’ve shown it works seamlessly to support walking, standing, and climbing stairs or ramps. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adi8852" target="_blank">They described their “unified control framework” March 20 in Science Robotics.</a>“The goal was not just to provide control across different activities, but to create a single unified system. You don't have to press buttons to switch between modes or have some classifier algorithm that tries to predict that you're climbing stairs or walking,” said Young, associate professor in the <a href="https://me.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering</a>.<h3>Machine Learning as Translator</h3><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1711697656575-_MG_8945.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A closeup view of experimental exoskeleton used in experiments that resulted in a universal controller for robotic assistance devices.Most previous work in this area has focused on one activity at a time, like walking on level ground or up a set of stairs. The algorithms involved typically try to classify the environment to provide the right assistance to users.The Georgia Tech team threw that out the window. Instead of focusing on the environment, they focused on the human — what’s happening with muscles and joints — which meant the specific activity didn’t matter.“We stopped trying to bucket human movement into what we call discretized modes — like level ground walking or climbing stairs&nbsp;— because real movement is a lot messier,” said Dean Molinaro, lead author on the study and a recently graduated Ph.D. student in Young’s lab. “Instead, we based our controller on the user’s underlying physiology. What the body is doing at any point in time will tell us everything we need to know about the environment. Then we used machine learning essentially as the translator between what the sensors are measuring on the exoskeleton and what torques the muscles are generating.”With the controller delivering assistance through a hip exoskeleton developed by the team, they found they could reduce users’ metabolic and biomechanical effort: they expended less energy, and their joints didn’t have to work as hard compared to not wearing the device at all.In other words, wearing the exoskeleton was a benefit to users, even with the extra weight added by the device itself.<blockquote>What’s so cool about this [controller] is that it adjusts to each person’s internal dynamics without any tuning or heuristic adjustments, which is a huge difference from a lot of work in the field. There’s no subject-specific tuning or changing parameters to make it work.AARON YOUNG Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering</blockquote><a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adi8852" target="_blank">The control system in this study</a> is designed for partial-assist devices. These exoskeletons support movement rather than completely replacing the effort.The team, which also included Molinaro and <a href="https://www.meche.engineering.cmu.edu/directory/bios/kang-inseung.html" target="_blank">Inseung Kang</a>, another former Ph.D. student now at Carnegie Mellon University, used an existing algorithm and trained it on mountains of force and motion-capture data they collected in Young’s lab. Subjects of different genders and body types wore the powered hip exoskeleton and walked at varying speeds on force plates, climbed height-adjustable stairs, walked up and down ramps, and transitioned between those movements.And like the motion-capture studios used to make movies, every movement was recorded and cataloged to understand what joints were doing for each activity.The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adi8852" target="_blank">Science Robotics study</a> is “application agnostic,” as Young put it. Yet their controller offers the first bridge to real-world viability for robotic exoskeleton devices.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1711697699313-_MG_8771.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Researchers Aaron Young, left, and Dean Molinaro.Imagine how robotic assistance could benefit soldiers, airline baggage handlers, or any workers doing physically demanding jobs where musculoskeletal injury risk is high.Assistive robotics also could help stroke patients regain mobility. Related experiments in Young’s lab are working to understand how their hip exoskeleton and unified controller could be extended to help people recovering from stroke navigate their communities.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VEvV1jnqacs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe><h3 id="isPasted">Helping Amputees Do More</h3>Other projects in Young’s <a href="https://www.epic.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">Exoskeleton and Prosthetic Intelligent Controls (EPIC) Lab</a> are marrying the power of robotics and AI to help adults with above-the-knee amputations navigate more effectively and children recover from neurological injuries.For adults, the lab is imagining new powered prostheses to help them navigate the world. An active study is exploring how AI can learn a patient’s gait and adapt over time to improve walking.Stacey Rice has been working with the team for a year, testing iterations of a leg prosthesis and the accompanying AI controller. She lost her leg to bone cancer 44 years ago, so she’s already seen technology improve the devices available to amputees.&nbsp;The Atlanta native is a multisport athlete and 1988 volleyball Paralympian. She said she can feel a real difference in the amount of effort she expends using the robotic assistance. <blockquote>I realized while I was on the treadmill that I wasn’t using as much energy as if I was using my own prosthesis. For me to have that energy bank is huge. There’s so much energy the body uses when you’re an amputee and you’re walking. To reserve that energy for your day-to-day activities will allow amputees to be more active during the day and do more.STACEY RICE Amputee and Research Study Participant</blockquote><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1711697760246-_MG_8899.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Dean Molinaro walks up a height-adjustable ramp, left, and similarly adjustable stairs, right, while wearing an experimental exoskeleton. The team used these and other unique tools Young's lab, such as force plates and motion-capture cameras, to collect data in their effort to develop a unified control framework for robotic assistance devices.<h3 id="isPasted">Gamifying Pediatric Rehab<a title="Permalink to this item" href="https://coe.gatech.edu/news/2024/03/universal-controller-could-push-robotic-prostheses-exoskeletons-real-world-use#gamifying-pediatric-rehab" target="_blank"></a></h3>In other experiments, Young’s lab is working with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Shriners Hospital to incorporate robotics into a new approach to pediatric rehabilitation that helps patients improve their gait.&nbsp;Kids with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, and other conditions often undergo physical therapy to help correct walking abnormalities. Incorporating robotics into the process is an area Young is excited about because developing brains are especially good at relearning skills and can recover function over time.“The robotic therapy does what a physical therapist might do manually, but in an automated way. It encourages them to adopt better gait biomechanics,” Young said.In each appointment, the researchers combine a robotic exoskeleton with biofeedback systems through a game-like interface.“When the patients come in, it’s like a video game that they're playing, which both engages them and gives them feedback about their performance,” Young said. “We want them to internalize the learning. The exoskeleton will help them physically achieve their goals, but we need them to retain that and engage in the rehab process.”<h3>Regaining Balance<a title="Permalink to this item" href="https://coe.gatech.edu/news/2024/03/universal-controller-could-push-robotic-prostheses-exoskeletons-real-world-use#regaining-balance" target="_blank"></a></h3>Elsewhere in the lab, Young and his team use a unique virtual-reality treadmill system to study gait and balance, particularly for older adults or people with mobility issues from strokes or amputations.The team uses the platform to introduce significant disruptions while participants are walking, challenging them to keep or regain their balance. The resulting data —&nbsp;largely from young, athletic individuals —&nbsp;is inspiring how wearable robots should operate to help people with balance impairments stay upright.In other words, it’s a busy place. And all in service of making a future of wearable robotics a reality.“For a lot of us, mobility is something we’re able to take for granted. One of the hopes is that this work can translate to people with mobility impairments and improve their quality of life,” Molinaro said. “And also, there are times when mobility is a limitation. So we’re interested in how we push the edge of mobility, both in restoring it for those with impairments but also augmenting it for those of able body to make them even more capable.”

Researcher Aaron Young makes adjustments to an experimental exoskeleton worn by then-Ph.D. student Dean Molinaro. The team used the exoskeleton to develop a unified control framework for robotic assistance devices that would allow users to put on an "exo" and go — no extensive training, tuning, or calibration required. (Photo: Candler Hobbs)

Aaron Young’s team has developed a wear-and-go approach that requires no calibration or training.

Universal Controller Could Push Robotic Prostheses, Exoskeletons Into Real-World Use

This article was discussed in our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/b5ad041a-a5dc-42cd-900b-390dca184186?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>A few years ago, a team of researchers working under Professor Stanisa Raspopovic at the ETH Zurich Neuroengineering Lab gained worldwide attention when they announced that their prosthetic legs had enabled amputees to feel sensations from this artificial body part for the first time. Unlike commercial leg prostheses, which simply provide amputees with stability and support, the ETH researchers’ prosthetic device was connected to the sciatic nerve in the test subjects’ thigh via implanted electrodes.This electrical connection enabled the neuroprosthesis to communicate with the patient’s brain, for example relaying information on the constant changes in pressure detected on the sole of the prosthetic foot when walking. This gave the test subjects greater confidence in their prosthesis – and it enabled them to walk considerably faster on challenging terrains. “Our experimental leg prosthesis succeeded in evoking natural sensations. That’s something current neuroprostheses are mainly unable to do; instead, they mostly evoke artificial, unpleasant sensations,” Raspopovic says.This is probably because today’s neuroprosthetics are using time-constant electrical pulses to stimulate the nervous system. “That’s not only unnatural, but also inefficient,” Raspopovic says. In a recently published paper, he and his team used the example of their leg prostheses to highlight the benefits of using naturally inspired, biomimetic stimulation to develop the next generation of neuroprosthetics.<h2>Model simulates activation of nerves in the sole</h2>To generate these biomimetic signals, Natalija Katic – a doctoral student in Raspopovic’s research group – developed a computer model called FootSim. It is based on data collected by collaborators in Canada, who recorded the activity of natural receptors, named mechanoreceptors, in the sole of the foot while touching different points on the feet of volunteers with a vibrating rod.The model simulates the dynamic behaviour of large numbers of mechanoreceptors in the sole of the foot and generates the neural signals that shoot up the nerves in the leg towards the brain – from the moment the heel strikes the ground and the weight of the body starts to shift forward to the outside of the foot until the toes push off the ground ready for the next step. “Thanks to this model, we can see how semsory receptors from the sole, and the connected nerves, behave during walking or running, which is experimentally impossible to measure” Katic says.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzA5ODI0NDc4NjY1LWltYWdlLmltYWdlZm9ybWF0LjEyODYuNDg4NzEzNzM4LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Restoring natural sensory feedback results in functional and cognitive benefits for leg prosthesis users. (Photograph: Pietro Comaschi)Restoring natural sensory feedback results in functional and cognitive benefits for leg prosthesis users.&nbsp;(Photograph: Pietro Comaschi)<h2 id="isPasted">Information overload in the spinal cord</h2>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;To assess how closely the biomimetic signals calculated by the model correspond to the signals emitted by real neurons, Giacomo Valle – a postdoc in Raspopovic’s research group – worked with colleagues in Germany, Serbia and Russia on experiments with cats, whose nervous system processes movement in a similar way to that of humans. The experiments took place in 2019 at the Pavlov Institute of Physiology in St. Petersburg and were carried out in accordance with the relevant European Union guidelines.The researchers implanted electrodes, connecting some to the nerve in the leg and some to the spinal cord to discover how the signals are transmitted through the nervous system. When the researchers applied pressure to the bottom of the cat’s paw, thereby evoking the natural neural response that occurs when a cat takes a step, the peculiar pattern of activity recorded in the spinal cord did indeed resemble the patterns that were elicited in the spinal cord when the researchers stimulated the leg nerve with biomimetic signals.By contrast, the conventional approach of time-constant stimulation of the sciatic nerve in the cat’s thigh elicited a markedly different pattern of activation in the spinal cord. “This clearly shows that the commonly used stimulation methods cause the neural networks in the spine to be flooded with information,” Valle says. “This information overload could be the reason for the unpleasant sensations or paraesthesia reported by some users of neuroprosthetics,” Raspopovic adds.<h2>Learning the language of the nervous system</h2>In their clinical trial with leg amputees, the researchers were able to show that biomimetic stimulation is superior to time-constant stimulation. Their work clearly demonstrated how the signals that mimicked nature produced better results: not only were the test subjects able to climb steps faster, they also made fewer mistakes in a task that required them to climb the same steps while spelling words backwards. “Biomimetic neurostimulation allows subjects to concentrate on other things while walking,” Raspopovic says, “so we concluded that this type of stimulation is more naturally processed and less taxing on the brain.”Raspopovic, whose lab forms part of the ETH Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, believes that these new findings are not only relevant to the limb prostheses he and his team have been working on for over half a decade. He argues that the need to move away from unnatural, time-constant stimulation towards biomimetic signals also applies to a whole series of other aids and devices, including spinal implants and electrodes for brain stimulation. “We need to learn the language of the nervous system,” Raspopovic says. “Then we’ll be able to communicate with the brain in ways it really understands.”<h2>Information overload in the spinal cord</h2>To assess how closely the biomimetic signals calculated by the model correspond to the signals emitted by real neurons, Giacomo Valle – a postdoc in Raspopovic’s research group – worked with colleagues in Germany, Serbia and Russia on experiments with cats, whose nervous system processes movement in a similar way to that of humans. The experiments took place in 2019 at the Pavlov Institute of Physiology in St. Petersburg and were carried out in accordance with the relevant European Union guidelines.The researchers implanted electrodes, connecting some to the nerve in the leg and some to the spinal cord to discover how the signals are transmitted through the nervous system. When the researchers applied pressure to the bottom of the cat’s paw, thereby evoking the natural neural response that occurs when a cat takes a step, the peculiar pattern of activity recorded in the spinal cord did indeed resemble the patterns that were elicited in the spinal cord when the researchers stimulated the leg nerve with biomimetic signals.By contrast, the conventional approach of time-constant stimulation of the sciatic nerve in the cat’s thigh elicited a markedly different pattern of activation in the spinal cord. “This clearly shows that the commonly used stimulation methods cause the neural networks in the spine to be flooded with information,” Valle says. “This information overload could be the reason for the unpleasant sensations or paraesthesia reported by some users of neuroprosthetics,” Raspopovic adds.<h2>Learning the language of the nervous system</h2>In their clinical trial with leg amputees, the researchers were able to show that biomimetic stimulation is superior to time-constant stimulation. Their work clearly demonstrated how the signals that mimicked nature produced better results: not only were the test subjects able to climb steps faster, they also made fewer mistakes in a task that required them to climb the same steps while spelling words backwards. “Biomimetic neurostimulation allows subjects to concentrate on other things while walking,” Raspopovic says, “so we concluded that this type of stimulation is more naturally processed and less taxing on the brain.”Raspopovic, whose lab forms part of the ETH Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, believes that these new findings are not only relevant to the limb prostheses he and his team have been working on for over half a decade. He argues that the need to move away from unnatural, time-constant stimulation towards biomimetic signals also applies to a whole series of other aids and devices, including spinal implants and electrodes for brain stimulation. “We need to learn the language of the nervous system,” Raspopovic says. “Then we’ll be able to communicate with the brain in ways it really understands.”<hr><h2 id="isPasted">Reference</h2>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Valle G, Katic Secerovic N, Eggemann D, Gorskii O, Pavlova N, Petrini FM, Cvancara P, Stieglitz T, Musienko P, Bumbasirevic M, Raspopovic S: Biomimetic computer-to-brain communication enhancing naturalistic touch sensations via peripheral nerve stimulation. Nature Communications, 20 February 2024, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45190-6" target="_blank">external page10.1038/s41467-024-45190-6</a>

ETH researchers have developed a prosthetic leg that communicates with the brain via natural signals. (Photograph: Keystone)

Prostheses that connect to the nervous system have been available for several years. Now, researchers at ETH Zurich have found evidence that neuroprosthetics work better when they use signals that are inspired by nature.

Bio-inspired neuroprosthetics: sending signals the brain can understand

A robot mimics the folded look of rose petals to grasp complex shapes more easily than a traditional hand. A pneumatic clamp makes it easier for people with motor disabilities to safely wield kitchen knives. Prostheses utilize shape memory polymers to better replicate the range of motion of a limb.All three of these concepts fall under the category of “soft robotics,” a field that uses strings, magnets, air, water and other non-rigid elements to design robotic solutions for biomechanical or industrial challenges.The Soft Robotics Toolkit (SRT), developed by the&nbsp;<a href="http://biodesign.seas.harvard.edu/" target="_blank">Harvard Biodesign Lab</a> at the&nbsp;<a href="https://seas.harvard.edu/" target="_blank">Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences</a> (SEAS), aims to provide a platform for designers, researchers and students to share information and resources in the field. Led by Conor Walsh, Paul A. Maeder Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at SEAS, the group recently resumed the SRT Competition, which challenged teams to design, fabricate and present their soft robotic innovations. The competition ran annually from 2015-18, then returned as a virtual showcase this year.“We have a new team at the SRT, and with that team comes new excitement and eagerness to continue to provide useful and engaging content to our audience,” said Jesse Grupper, a mechanical engineering research fellow in the Harvard Biodesign Lab and member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://softroboticstoolkit.com/" target="_blank">SRT team</a>. “We want to continue to benefit our SRT community and felt like now was the time to show that we are still committed and want to continue to see growth in the field.”Thirty-five teams from around the world competed in Open, College and High School categories of the SRT Competition. Projects were judged based on innovation, implementation, and documentation, with cash prizes awarded to the top designs in each category.“Sharing these novel projects on our site garners the interest of other researchers, encourages beginners in the field to join the community, and excites members to continue to contribute their own projects,” Grupper said. “Overall, the SRT Competition enables more people to become involved with the community which further pushes the boundaries of the field as a whole.”<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E1wAI09LaoY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>ROSE: Torsional Robotic Soft Gripper (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology )First place in the Open category went to ROSE, a torsional soft robotic gripper designed at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. The funnel-shaped gripper folds around and encompasses objects, enabling the soft membrane to grasp and hold complex, small or slippery objects. The Open runner-up prize went to a team from Northeastern University, which designed a series of pneumatically actuated origami robots that can support the weight of a human being.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H6yJK9ToCL8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>Dual-Mode Soft Robotics for Enhancing Kitchen Independence for Fine Motor Disabilities (Barker College in Hornsby, Australia)In the College category, a team from Barker College in Australia designed a pair of soft grippers for use in the kitchen. When actuated, the devices hold or clamp vegetables in place, making it easier for a person with motor challenges to chop or cut them. Runner-up went to a soft robotic hand designed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3nRMOhhcFqM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>4D Prosthetic (Quarry Lane School)A team from Quarry Lane School in California won the High School category with its 4D Prosthetic. The device uses shape memory polymers to simulate complex motions such as fingers gripping an object. The polymers hold their shape until exposed to heat such as a hot water bath, at which point they can be reshaped into a new position.“The SRT Team has undergone a lot of changes in the last five years,” Grupper said. “While our staff has shifted, and some of our objectives have changed, we've always been dedicated to expanding the field, and fostering an inclusive space for those that want to join our community.”

A robot mimics the folded look of rose petals to grasp complex shapes more easily than a traditional hand. A pneumatic clamp makes it easier for people with motor disabilities to safely wield kitchen knives. Prostheses utilize shape memory polymers to better replicate the range of motion of a limb.

A world of soft robotics

In a world often defined by disparities in healthcare access, Victoria Hand Project, a Canadian charity, is a beacon of hope. Founded in 2015 with the mission to provide accessible 3D-printed prosthetic care to under-resourced communities around the world, Victoria Hand Project has transformed lives by combining cutting-edge technology with compassionate outreach.

Hands for Ukraine: The Victoria Hand Project's 3D Printing Initiative to Democratize Access to Prosthetic Care in Ukraine

In this episode, we discuss the accidental discovery of how amputees can sense temperature in their phantom limbs and how EPFL researchers have exploited this to develop the first generation of prosthetics that can feel.

Podcast: Amputees Feel Warmth In Their Missing Hand

With amputees in war-torn Ukraine nearing half million, the Canadian non-profit organization Victoria Hand Project (VHP) is combining innovative materials from BASF Forward AM with&nbsp;<a href="https://ultimaker.com/" target="_blank">UltiMaker</a> 3D Printers&rsquo; robust construction to provide high-performance prosthetics to those in urgent need.<h2>Victoria Hand Project seeks to fundraise $200,000 to support their &ldquo;Hands for Ukraine&rdquo; campaign</h2>With the launch of this campaign, VHP will raise funds to support on-demand prosthetic care for individuals living in Ukraine. According to reliable news sources, as of January 30, 2023, over 40,000 Ukrainians have been injured in the war. Experts estimate between 25% and 35% of that number are amputees who will need specialized medical support. This is in addition to the already 400,000 existing amputees in the region, most of which have little no access to prosthetic care and these numbers are predicted to grow in the future.In January of 2023, through the help of donations from generous supporters, VHP completed a successful pilot project in Ukraine. A team member traveled to two partner sites to conduct initial training, set up equipment, and demonstrate fittings by providing five in-need amputees with prosthetic arms. VHP now seeks to makes these partnerships in Ukraine permanent and on-going by training local prosthetists and technology experts to 3D print, assemble, and provide Victoria Hands on-demand to those who need them.The full expansion into Ukraine will include:<ul><li>Fully equipping two partner sites in Lviv and Vinnytsia with 3D printing and scanning tools</li><li>Fully equipping both partner sites with supplies for prosthetic fittings</li><li>Fully funding high-quality prosthetic care for 100 Ukrainian amputees and laying groundwork for many more to receive care</li><li>If the fundraising efforts exceed the initial goal set, additional monies will be added to increase the number of prosthetic arms being produced.</li></ul>Donations can be made at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriahandproject.com/ukraine" target="_blank">Victoria Hand Project</a>&ldquo;By harnessing the print quality and mechanical properties of Forward AM Ultrafuse&reg; PLA PRO1 in addition to the exceptional dependability from UltiMaker, Victoria Hand Project creates prosthetic hands that not only meet functional requirements, but also empower users. These hands are not just tools; they become symbols of resilience, self-assurance, and durability in the daily lives of amputees.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Michael Peirone, CEO of Victoria Hand Project.Established in July of 2015, VHP has formed clinical partnerships in 11 countries and created a network of compassionate professionals who rely on the patronage of generous donors to continue to spread hope and restore independence to individuals facing limb loss.By utilizing innovative 3D printing technology and materials, VHP works with unwavering dedication to create affordable and customizable prosthetic arms &mdash; the Victoria Hands. As they continue to expand, VHP depends on trusted Additive Manufacturing collaborators like BASF Forward AM and UltiMaker to provide the needed support to facilitate long-term, sustainable prosthetic care around the globe.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1687429381685-Victoria-Hand-Projects-1600x875-1.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1687429416953-Victoria-Hand-Projects-1600x875-3.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1687429423038-Victoria-Hand-Projects-1600x875-5.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Tapping into the strength, versatility and consistency of Forward AM&rsquo;s Ultrafuse&reg; PLA PRO1</h2>BASF Forward AM began supporting Victoria Hand Project in early 2022 when VHP started using&nbsp;<a href="https://forward-am.com/material-portfolio/ultrafuse-filaments-for-fused-filaments-fabrication-fff/engineering-filaments/ultrafuse-pla-pro1/" target="_blank">Ultrasfuse&reg; PLA PRO1</a> for its superior durability and repeatability as well as the ability to provide users with a simple and easy printing experience. This innovative material delivers precise and detailed prosthetic components, not only enhancing the aesthetics of the prosthesis but more importantly contributing to the functionality of the hand itself as the material is optimized for quality, speed, strength, and reliability resulting in performance levels which exceed those of traditional filaments.This aligns with VHP&rsquo;s commitment to excellence as they recognize the significance of creating prosthetic hands that not only function well, but also inspire beauty and confidence in their users. The outstanding mechanical properties of Ultrafuse&reg; PLA ensure reliability, longevity and durability, enabling prosthetic hands to withstand the daily challenges they face and the smooth and polished finish elevates the overall aesthetics, instilling self-confidence and empowering recipients with a profound sense of pride.&ldquo;As an industry leader in 3D printing, we strive to consistently provide best-in-class materials and solutions for applications limited only by our customers&rsquo; imaginations. But the opportunity to support VHP &mdash; an organization using Additive Manufacturing to reshape the lives of amputees around the world &mdash; is something that goes beyond the day-to-day tasks of doing business. It adds a feeling of deep purpose and a stronger sense of why we do what we do. It&rsquo;s not just printed plastic. It&rsquo;s hope, independence, and a better quality of life.&rdquo; &ndash;&nbsp;Martin Back, CEO and Managing Director of Forward AM<h2>Building on the trusted reliability and performance of UltiMaker 3D Printers</h2>With their robust construction and stable functionality, UltiMaker printers and software provide users with comprehensive engineering solutions and consistent 3D printing. These state-of-the-art machines are also easy to operate, which is crucial for clinicians who may be inexperienced with this pioneering technology.As a 3D printing partner for VHP for the past 7 years, UltiMaker is an ardent supporter of the organization&rsquo;s mission to deliver prosthetic care to more people in need worldwide. UltiMaker 3D printers offer reliability and flexibility in compact, low-maintenance, and easy-to-use machines, allowing local clinicians to design and create custom prosthetic arms faster and more efficiently. &nbsp;By working closely together to ensure a seamless printing experience, the collaborative results of UltiMaker FFF printers along with Forward AM&rsquo;s PLA PRO1 provide the ideal combination for producing dependable, long-lasting 3D printed prosthetic hands in challenging locations. This partnership is vital for achieving the proper fit, functionality, and aesthetics of the prosthetic hands created resulting in a seamless workflow and effectively supporting clinicians by helping fulfill their mission of providing life-changing prosthetic hands to as many individuals as possible.&ldquo;We are thrilled to be a long-term partner of Victoria Hand Project and continue to support its mission to deliver prosthetic hands to people in need. With the UltiMaker 3D printing ecosystem on location, clinicians can print parts on-demand, providing better prosthetic support to their communities. By expanding access to prosthetic care with 3D printing, we believe we can help address the needs of individuals with limb loss or limb differences, promoting empowerment, inclusivity, and overall well-being.&rdquo; &ndash;&nbsp;Nadav Goshen, CEO of UltiMaker.Receiving a Victoria Hand is transformative; a functional prosthetic arm is an incredible tool to help amputees regain independence, hope, and embrace opportunities to live more fulfilling and happier lives. The positive impact a prothesis can have goes far beyond the recipient alone. It&rsquo;s life-changing effects ripple throughout families, caretakers, the community and beyond.

With amputees in war-torn Ukraine nearing half million, the Canadian non-profit organization Victoria Hand Project (VHP) is combining innovative materials from BASF Forward AM with UltiMaker 3D Printers’ robust construction to provide high-performance prosthetics to those in urgent need.

The Victoria Hand Project Expands Prosthetics Access in Ukraine

In this episode, we discuss the accidental discovery of how amputees can sense temperature in their phantom limbs and how EPFL researchers have exploited this to develop the first generation of prosthetics that can feel.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/496d5536-5afc-4f71-9e3e-35191a8fffe4?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> <hr>(0:50) - <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand" id="isPasted" target="_blank">Amputees Feel Warmth In Their Missing Hand</a>&nbsp;<hr>As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.To learn more about this show, please visit our<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">&nbsp;shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published. Be sure to give us a follow and review on<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">&nbsp;Apple</a> podcasts,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">&nbsp;Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!

The MiniTouch, a device that allows amputees to feel hot and cold in their phantom hand. 2023 EPFL / Alain Herzog.

20230814-Podcast: Amputees Feel Warmth In Their Missing Hand

A groundbreaking 2020 research project led by <a href="https://www.tudelft.nl/3me/over/afdelingen/biomechanical-engineering/research/biomechatronics-human-machine-control/delft-institute-of-prosthetics-and-orthotics" target="_blank">Delft University of Technology and Gyromotics</a> delved into the unique requirements of children using lower limb prosthetics. The findings highlighted that youngsters are more prone to damaging their prosthetic devices due to their active nature. Furthermore, the study emphasized the need for greater adaptability in children&#39;s prosthetics, as growth spurts can cause the devices to become overly rigid or excessively flexible.The results of the study inspired <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tijmen-seignette-51153b101?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAABnizB0BjktQ9h9zx63zxr_kymOBsl-InMU" target="_blank">Tijmen Seignette</a>, a researcher at TU Delft, to look for ways to make children&#39;s prosthetics more robust, comfortable, and adaptable as they grew.&nbsp;Tijmen pitched his graduation project titled &#39;Measuring Ground Reaction Forces in Running Specific Prostheses - A Fiber Optic Sensing Approach,&rsquo; where he designed a sensor system for running specific prostheses together with <a href="https://www.photonfirst.com/" target="_blank">Photon First</a> and <a href="https://gyromotics.com/en/" target="_blank">Gyromotics</a>. His system can be used to improve sprinting performance of Paralympic athletes, as well as validate prosthetic design choices. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tijmen-seignette-51153b101?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAABnizB0BjktQ9h9zx63zxr_kymOBsl-InMU" target="_blank">Seignette</a> submitted his research to the Precision Fairs Boost Your Talent Awards, where he won the $5000 Wevolver award. <a href="#_msocom_2" id="_anchor_2" language="JavaScript" name="_msoanchor_2" target="_blank">[2]</a> The Precision Fair is organized by Mikrocentrum.&nbsp;We recently sat done with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tijmen-seignette-51153b101?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAABnizB0BjktQ9h9zx63zxr_kymOBsl-InMU" target="_blank">Seignette</a>, to talk about what his project is now and how he sees the future of prosthetics.&nbsp;<h2>When did the project get started? What was your motivation, and what did the early&nbsp;iterations look like?</h2>The Ground Reaction Force measurement project on prosthetics started in the summer of 2020 as a graduation project for my Master&#39;s thesis at the Biomedical Engineering department at the Delft University of Technology. In a previous graduation project, a design for a novel prosthesis was made. However, no validation method for this design was readily available. Therefore, in the project, I set out to design a measurement system that would allow for GRF measurements during running, as these forces are very important parameters in efficient sprint running.Early iterations of the instrumented prosthesis were based on FBG shape-sensing prototypes that I got acquainted with during my internship at PhotonFirst in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. During this internship, I learned how to perform calculations on deformations in (composite) materials using optical sensors. I also learned how to apply FBGs in several other fields, and thus got to know which limitations, but mostly which opportunities these kinds of sensors have in several fields of applications.&nbsp;Ewoud Velu, an engineer at PhotonFirst, helped me to create the FBG-instrumented prosthetics. We first made a prosthetic that would allow for rudimentary measurements, and to see if our method of applying sensors to the surface of the prosthetic would work as expected. Of: At PhotonFirst, Ewoud Velu, an engineer, collaborated with me to develop FBG-instrumented prosthetics. We began by creating a basic prosthetic to conduct initial measurements and test the effectiveness of our sensor application method on its surface.&nbsp;The next step was&nbsp;to&nbsp;integrate the sensors into the prosthetic so that it could be used by an athlete for field tests.<h2>How important was winning the Precision Fair&rsquo;s Boost Your Talent Award? What doors did this open?</h2><a href="https://precisiebeurs.nl/register" target="_blank">The Boost Your Talent award</a> helped me build a professional network in the engineering field. This helped me find the right people to help us further develop the product that I am currently working on in Project Unlimited. Because of winning the award, we were also introduced to the <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-composite-engineering-challenge" target="_blank">Composites Engineering Challenge by Mitsubishi Chemical,</a> in which we won the Innovation Award for the most disruptive and innovative project within our field.&nbsp;In addition to this, my project will also be published by professional magazines such as the Mikroniek, which means that the project will gain more attention in the professional field of sensors and fine mechanics. Of:&nbsp;Furthermore, my project will also be featured in professional magazines such as Mikroniek. This will increase its visibility within the professional field of sensors and fine mechanics.&nbsp;<img border="0" width="602" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgzMDE5NzY3NzIyLTE2ODMwMTk3Njc3MjIucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Project Unlimited involves the end users throughout the whole design cycle. Image credit: Project Unlimited<h2>What impact did winning the innovation award for the Composites Engineering Challenge have?</h2>By winning the award, we got international attention for the problems and inconveniences that children with an amputation face on a daily basis. We got the opportunity to publish articles in multiple magazines and blogs so that we could communicate what problems we are tackling by creating a new prosthesis.&nbsp;As a team, we welcome this because one of our research project&#39;s goals is to raise awareness about children who use a lower leg prosthetic.We will also receive help from Mitsubishi Chemical in exploring suitable materials and production methods to find the right material properties that we are looking for. We are also looking into scaling up the production for the modular prosthesis, which is very helpful for our project; within our project group, we do have a lot of knowledge on prototyping and small-scale production of composites but not in larger series production. Getting help from a large company with a lot of experience in scaling the production method will have a large impact on the project.&nbsp;Additionally, we are detailing our service model and business model for our prosthesis - for now, mainly for the purpose of the Dutch market. Mitsubishi will help us find the right people to further develop these aspects of our project.&nbsp;<h2>What&#39;s next for you and the project?&nbsp;</h2>In the coming months, we will do multiple iterations of our current modular prosthetic design, so that, eventually, we will have a prosthesis that we know will be safely usable for an extended period. We will then launch a testing trial with multiple orthopedic technical companies so that about 20 children will be provided with a prosthetic foot. From these tests, we will gather data to further develop our product-service system and eventually do a market introduction under the Gyromotics company in the Netherlands.&nbsp;We will also be working on awareness about children with a foot prosthetic, for instance, by developing presentation material that can be used by children in primary schools to tell their peers about prosthetics, and we will attend technical/educational events to showcase our progress on the design of our foot. For me personally, my role in the research project is almost finished, and I will be on the lookout for a new professional challenge in the field of medical design/R&amp;D. On the side, I will still be helping out the Project Unlimited team, where I can.&nbsp;<h2>What resources or input are you looking for now?</h2>For Project Unlimited, we want to explore the implementation of our product into the market.Since we have a complicated stakeholder structure in our project (lots of people are involved in providing prosthetics for children; the child, the parents, orthopedic technicians, rehabilitation doctors, insurance companies, etc.), we need to get everyone involved in the service design so that we can provide every child with a lower leg amputation with the right prosthetic foot, for the right price.&nbsp;For this service design and the detailing of the business model, we are also working together with Mitsubishi Chemical, but it is always nice to know of other projects that apply a similar approach to healthcare and see if we can learn from these projects as well. Personally, since I will be looking for a new professional challenge, I am mainly looking for a role in a project that involves a disruptive product/service in the healthcare field, as I think I can apply the knowledge I gained in my previous work well in this field.<h3>Read more about Mikrocentrum:</h3>Mikrocentrum is the connecting platform for the high-tech and manufacturing industry. We have a fascination with technology. And as an independent foundation, we are uniquely positioned to establish the right connections to translate that fascination into all layers of the value chain. Together with our members, customers, and partners, we are committed to a strong innovative ecosystem, talent development, and addressing the major societal challenges of today. We do this by providing education, stimulating meetings, and connecting through our courses, events, and member platform. Because with knowledge, talent, skills, and connections as fuel, we are making the world of tomorrow a little better today.<h3>About the Precision Fair:</h3>The Precision Fair is the annual trade fair for the entire precision technology value chain, ranging from mechatronic engineering &amp; systems, metrology, vacuum &amp; clean, micro processing &amp; motion, laser &amp; photonics, to production for high precision.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgzMDE5ODg5NzYwLW1pa3JvIGJvdHRvbSBiYW5uZXIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

Research from elite athletes informs the design of these robust and adaptable prosthetics. We interview researcher Tijmen Seignette, about his ambitions to change how we approach prosthetic design. 

Revolutionizing prosthetics for kids: A modular approach that grows with the user

A dive into how AI is helping overcome limitations with current prosthetics by offering improved signal decoding, functionality and more intuitive control.  


How AI is Helping Power Next-Generation Prosthetic Limbs

This article was first published on <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2022/magnetic-sensors-muscle-prosthetics-1025" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MIT News</a>. &nbsp;<hr>Using a simple set of magnets, MIT researchers have come up with a sophisticated way to monitor muscle movements, which they hope will make it easier for people with amputations to control their prosthetic limbs.In a new pair of papers, the researchers demonstrated the accuracy and safety of their magnet-based system, which can track the length of muscles during movement. The studies, performed in animals, offer hope that this strategy could be used to help people with prosthetic devices control them in a way that more closely mimics natural limb movement.&ldquo;These recent results demonstrate that this tool can be used outside the lab to track muscle movement during natural activity, and they also suggest that the magnetic implants are stable and biocompatible and that they don&rsquo;t cause discomfort,&rdquo; says Cameron Taylor, an MIT research scientist and co-lead author of both papers.In one of the studies, the researchers showed that they could accurately measure the lengths of turkeys&rsquo; calf muscles as the birds ran, jumped, and performed other natural movements. In the other study, they showed that the small magnetic beads used for the measurements do not cause inflammation or other adverse effects when implanted in muscle.&ldquo;I am very excited for the clinical potential of this new technology to improve the control and efficacy of bionic limbs for persons with limb-loss,&rdquo; says Hugh Herr, a professor of media arts and sciences, co-director of the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics at MIT, and an associate member of MIT&rsquo;s McGovern Institute for Brain Research.Herr is a senior author of both papers, which appear today in the journal Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. Thomas Roberts, a professor of ecology, evolution, and organismal biology at Brown University, is a senior author of the measurement study.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1666878421382-MIT-Muscle-tracking-02-PRESS.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The new muscle measuring approach takes advantage of the magnetic attraction between two small beads implanted in a muscle. Using a small sensor attached to the outside of the body, the system can track the distances between the two magnets as the muscle contracts and flexes. Image: Courtesy of the researchers<h2>Tracking movement</h2>Currently, powered prosthetic limbs are usually controlled using an approach known as surface electromyography (EMG). Electrodes attached to the surface of the skin or surgically implanted in the residual muscle of the amputated limb measure electrical signals from a person&rsquo;s muscles, which are fed into the prosthesis to help it move the way the person wearing the limb intends.However, that approach does not take into account any information about the muscle length or velocity, which could help to make the prosthetic movements more accurate.Several years ago, the MIT team began working on a novel way to perform those kinds of muscle measurements, using an approach that they call magnetomicrometry. This strategy takes advantage of the permanent magnetic fields surrounding small beads implanted in a muscle. Using a credit-card-sized, compass-like sensor attached to the outside of the body, their system can track the distances between the two magnets. When a muscle contracts, the magnets move closer together, and when it flexes, they move further apart.In a <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2021/magnet-prosthetic-limb-control-0818" target="_blank">study</a> published last year, the researchers showed that this system could be used to accurately measure small ankle movements when the beads were implanted in the calf muscles of turkeys. In one of the new studies, the researchers set out to see if the system could make accurate measurements during more natural movements in a nonlaboratory setting.To do that, they created an obstacle course of ramps for the turkeys to climb and boxes for them to jump on and off of. The researchers used their magnetic sensor to track muscle movements during these activities, and found that the system could calculate muscle lengths in less than a millisecond.They also compared their data to measurements taken using a more traditional approach known as fluoromicrometry, a type of X-ray technology that requires much larger equipment than magnetomicrometry. The magnetomicrometry measurements varied from those generated by fluoromicrometry by less than a millimeter, on average.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re able to provide the muscle-length tracking functionality of the room-sized X-ray equipment using a much smaller, portable package, and we&rsquo;re able to collect the data continuously instead of being limited to the 10-second bursts that fluoromicrometry is limited to,&rdquo; Taylor says.Seong Ho Yeon, an MIT graduate student, is also a co-lead author of the measurement study. Other authors include MIT Research Support Associate Ellen Clarrissimeaux and former Brown University postdoc Mary Kate O&rsquo;Donnell.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1666878456654-MIT-Muscle-tracking-03-PRESS.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Using a simple set of magnets, MIT researchers have come up with a way to monitor muscle movements, which they hope will make it easier for people with amputations to control their prosthetic limbs. Image: Courtesy of the researchers<h2>Biocompatibility</h2>In the second paper, the researchers focused on the biocompatibility of the implants. They found that the magnets did not generate tissue scarring, inflammation, or other harmful effects. They also showed that the implanted magnets did not alter the turkeys&rsquo; gaits, suggesting they did not produce discomfort. William Clark, a postdoc at Brown, is the co-lead author of the biocompatibility study. The researchers also showed that the implants remained stable for eight months, the length of the study, and did not migrate toward each other, as long as they were implanted at least 3 centimeters apart. The researchers envision that the beads, which consist of a magnetic core coated with gold and a polymer called Parylene, could remain in tissue indefinitely once implanted.&ldquo;Magnets don&rsquo;t require an external power source, and after implanting them into the muscle, they can maintain the full strength of their magnetic field throughout the lifetime of the patient,&rdquo; Taylor says.The researchers are now planning to seek FDA approval to test the system in people with prosthetic limbs. They hope to use the sensor to control prostheses similar to the way surface EMG is used now: Measurements regarding the length of muscles will be fed into the control system of a prosthesis to help guide it to the position that the wearer intends.&ldquo;The place where this technology fills a need is in communicating those muscle lengths and velocities to a wearable robot, so that the robot can perform in a way that works in tandem with the human,&rdquo; Taylor says. &ldquo;We hope that magnetomicrometry will enable a person to control a wearable robot with the same comfort level and the same ease as someone would control their own limb.&rdquo;In addition to prosthetic limbs, those wearable robots could include robotic exoskeletons, which are worn outside the body to help people move their legs or arms more easily.<hr>&quot;Reprinted with permission of&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2022/magnetic-sensors-muscle-prosthetics-1025" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MIT News</a>&quot;&nbsp;

A small, bead-like magnet used in a new approach to measuring muscle position. Image: Courtesy of the researchers

Using a new technology, researchers hope to create better control systems for prosthetic limbs.

Magnetic sensors track muscle length

In this episode, we talk about how exoskeleton technology is being leveraged to treat parkinsons and how a new approach for more efficient, personalized exoskeletons could be the catalyst for wide scale adaptation. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/2690990e-5486-4d21-9474-be2ada6a7cd7?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe><hr>This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www2.mouser.com/" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUwMzcyMDgxMzQyLU1vdXNlci1zcG9uc29yLTEtYS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>(2:53) - Exosuit Sensor For Parkinsons(16:07) - Personalized ExoskeletonsEpisode 66 was brought to you by Mouser Electronics, Farbod &amp; Daniel’s favorite electronics distributor. Click <a href="https://www.mouser.com/applications/robotic-exoskeletons/" target="_blank">here</a> to read the article explaining exoskeleton technology.<hr>About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps!&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a>if you do it and send us proof, we’ll give you a shoutout on the show.

MyoExo integrates a series of sensors into a wearable device capable of detecting slight changes in muscle strain and bulging, enabling it to measure and track the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Credit: Oluwaseun Araromi

In this episode, we talk about how exoskeleton technology is being leveraged to treat parkinsons and how a new approach for more efficient, personalized exoskeletons could be the catalyst for wide scale adaptation. 

Podcast: Personalized Exoskeletons & Treating Parkinson's

The images made headlines around the world in late 2018. David Mzee, who had been left paralyzed by a partial spinal cord injury suffered in a sports accident, got up from his wheelchair and began to walk with the help of a walker. This was the first proof that Courtine and Bloch’s system – which uses electrical stimulation to reactivate spinal neurons – could work effectively in patients.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4wUADfnCMdc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" style="width: 767px; height: 437px;"></iframe>Fast forward three years, and a new milestone has just been reached. The research team led by both Courtine, a professor at EPFL, and Bloch, a professor and neurosurgeon at CHUV, has enhanced their system with more sophisticated implants controlled by artificial-intelligence software. These implants can stimulate the region of the spinal cord that activates the trunk and leg muscles. Thanks to this new technology, three patients with complete spinal cord injury were able to walk again outside the lab. “Our stimulation algorithms are still based on imitating nature,” says Courtine. “And our new, soft implanted leads are designed to be placed underneath the vertebrae, directly on the spinal cord. They can modulate the neurons regulating specific muscle groups. By controlling these implants, we can activate the spinal cord like the brain would do naturally to have the patient stand, walk, swim or ride a bike, for example.”<h2>Activating motor sequences at the push of a button</h2>On a cold, snowy day last December, Michel Roccati – an Italian man who became paralyzed after a motorcycle accident four years earlier – braved the icy wind to try out the system outdoors, in central Lausanne. He had recently undergone the surgical procedure in which Bloch placed the new, implanted lead on his spinal cord. Scientists from the Courtine and Bloch’s .NeuroRestore research center were with him, helping to prepare the demonstration. They attached two small remote controls to Michel’s walker and connected them wirelessly to a tablet that forwards the signals to a pacemaker in Michel’s abdomen. The pacemaker in turn relays the signals to the implanted spinal lead that stimulates specific neurons, causing Michel to move. When he was ready, Michel grasped the walker and set off. He pressed the button on the right side of the walker with the firm intention of taking a step forward with his left leg. His left foot rose like magic and fell to the ground a few centimeters ahead. He then did the same thing with the button on his left side, and his right foot moved forward. He was walking! “The first few steps were incredible – a dream come true!” he says. “I’ve been through some pretty intense training in the past few months, and I’ve set myself a series of goals. For instance, I can now go up and down stairs, and I hope to be able to walk one kilometer by this spring.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1644544468002-ezgif-5-e5d9eb5e93.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Michel Roccati stands up and walks in Lausanne. © EPFL / Alain Herzog 2021&nbsp;Two other patients have also successfully tested the new system, which is described in an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01663-5" rel="noopener" target="_blank">article appearing today in Nature Medicine</a>. “Our breakthrough here is the longer, wider implanted leads with electrodes arranged in a way that corresponds exactly to the spinal nerve roots,” says Bloch. “That gives us precise control over the neurons regulating specific muscles.” Ultimately, it allows for greater selectivity and accuracy in controlling the motor sequences for a given activity.<h2>One day is all it takes</h2>Extensive training is obviously necessary for patients to get comfortable using the device. But the pace and scope of rehabilitation is amazing. “All three patients were able to stand, walk, pedal, swim and control their torso movements in just one day, after their implants were activated!” says Courtine. “That’s thanks to the specific stimulation programs we wrote for each type of activity. Patients can select the desired activity on the tablet, and the corresponding protocols are relayed to the pacemaker in the abdomen.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1644544498412-ezgif-5-2264b1550c.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Thanks to his implant, Michel Roccati can now stand to enjoy a drink. © EPFL / Alain Herzog 2021&nbsp;While the progress achievable in a single day is astonishing, the gains after several months are even more impressive. The three patients followed a training regimen based on the stimulation programs and were able to regain muscle mass, move around more independently, and take part in social activities like having a drink standing at a bar. What’s more, because the technology is miniaturized, the patients can perform their training exercises outdoors and not only inside a lab.“This study further demonstrates the benefits of our approach,” says Courtine. “We’re now working with <a href="http://onwd.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ONWARD Medical</a>, which recently listed on Euronext, to turn our discoveries into genuine treatments that can improve the lives of thousands of people around the world.”<hr>ReferencesActivity-dependent spinal cord neuromodulation rapidly restores trunk and leg motor functions after complete paralysis, Nature Medicine, February 7 2022, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01663-5

A system developed by Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch now enables patients with a complete spinal cord injury to stand, walk and even perform recreational activities like swimming, cycling and canoeing. 

New implant offers promise for the paralyzed

In this episode, we reflect on some of our favorite topics from 2021 and discuss the goals for the podcast in 2022. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/62d15047-acbe-446a-9460-0396f1e1664c?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> <hr>This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www2.mouser.com/" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQxMzY4NzMzMDc3LU1vdXNlci1zcG9uc29yLTEtYS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>(2:40) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/2-boom-brings-back-supersonic-using-ai-to-beat-tb-5g-is-messing-up-weather-forecasts" target="_blank">Episode 2</a> - Boom – The Future of Supersonic Flight(6:05) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/8-eliminating-emissions-with-iot-shapeshifting-fabrics-fuel-cell-flight" target="_blank">Episode 8</a> - Eliminating Emission Inspections Via IoT(10:09) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/28-ai-policing-social-media-marsquakes-preventing-lead-poisoning-from-solar-panels" target="_blank">Episode 28</a> - Marsquakes Shed Light On The Red Planet’s Origins(13:40) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/39-the-ev-youll-never-have-to-charge" target="_blank">Episode 39</a> -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-3d-printed-hypercar-that-beat-the-best" target="_blank">The 3D Printed Car That Beat The Best</a>(16:45) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/35-the-shrimp-thatll-enable-super-robots" target="_blank">Episode 35</a> - Robot Mimics Mantis Shrimp(20:00) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/42-worlds-most-advanced-prosthetics" target="_blank">Episode 42</a> -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/walking-on-the-worlds-most-advanced-prosthetics-in-the-jungles-of-guatemala" target="_blank">World’s Most Advanced Prosthetics</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps!&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a>If you do it and send us proof, we’ll give you a shoutout on the show.

In this episode, we reflect on some of our favorite topics from 2021 and discuss the goals for the podcast in 2022.

Podcast: Recapping 2021

In this episode, we talk about a system developed by MIT researchers to optimize new material development and LifeNabled - a non-profit organization - that leverages 3D printing technology and generative design to develop cost-effective, bespoke prosthetics. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/1c1300b7-8e1f-4179-8389-075cca962518?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-12="true"></iframe>&nbsp;<hr>This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www2.mouser.com/" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>. &nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM1ODQyMzM0MjkzLU1vdXNlci1zcG9uc29yLTEtYS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>(1:11) - &nbsp;Accelerating New Material Discovery 🔬⚗️(11:40) -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/walking-on-the-worlds-most-advanced-prosthetics-in-the-jungles-of-guatemala" target="_blank">World’s Most Advanced Prosthetics 🦾🦿</a>Episode 42 was brought to you by Mouser Electronics, Farbod &amp; Daniel’s favorite electronics distributor. Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjhl3UgbWxI" target="_blank">here&nbsp;</a>to learn more about Mouser's 3D printed car project hosted by Grant Imahara.<hr>About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps!&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a>if you do it and send us proof, we’ll give you a shoutout on the show.

In this episode, we talk about a system developed by MIT researchers to optimize new material development and LifeNabled - a non-profit organization - that leverages 3D printing technology and generative design to develop cost-effective, bespoke prosthetics. 

prosthetics

Profiles