Brain-Controlled Bionic Leg Achieves Groundbreaking Success

Tested on Seven Amputee Patients: Achieving Faster and More Natural Movements

Seven amputee patients have regained the ability to walk with more natural and faster movements thanks to a groundbreaking prosthetic leg. This prosthesis is entirely controlled by the nervous system, eliminating the need for sensors and robotic controllers that use predefined gait algorithms.

This innovative development was published in Nature Medicine by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The key advancement is a new interface that connects the prosthetic leg to the patient’s nervous system. This interface works with a special amputation surgery that preserves the patient’s ability to perceive the limb’s position in space.

The bionic leg has been tested in various walking scenarios, including walking on flat surfaces, up slopes, down ramps, up and down stairs, and navigating obstacles. In all these situations, the prosthesis allowed movements…