The bionic hand still maintains its function after years of use, achieving a high degree of integration with nerves and bones

Scientists have been trying to integrate bionic hands into the wearer's nervous and skeletal systems for a long time, and according to a paper published in the journal Science Robotics on the 11th, this practice has been successful for the first time. An international research team from Sweden, Italy and Australia has developed a human-machine interface that allows the prosthesis to be comfortably connected to the wearer's bones through bone integration, while also being able to electrically connect to the nervous system through electrodes implanted in nerves and muscles. For people facing amputation, this new technology is extremely attractive.

A patient with a below-elbow amputation received a bionic hand that was connected directly to her neuromusculoskeletal system.
Image credit: Ortiz Catalan et al./AAAS Eurekalert website

Karin, a Swedish woman and below-the-elbow amputee, became the first person to receive this highly integrated bionic hand. More than 20 years ago, an accident took away Karin's right arm. Since then, she has suffered from excruciating phantom limb pain, while traditional prostheses are uncomfortable, unreliable, and barely work in daily life. In 2020, when she received the breakthrough bionic technology, "the gears of fate began to turn": for three years, she has been able to wear this powerful prosthesis comfortably all day long, and the high degree of integration between the prosthesis and Karin's residual limb has relieved her pain.

The challenge with below-the-elbow amputations is that the two bones (radius and ulna) should be aligned and evenly loaded, and there is not much space for implants and placement of prosthetic components. However, the research team managed to develop a suitable neuromusculoskeletal implant that allows the wearer's nervous system to be connected to the electronic control system of the prosthesis, which not only relieves Karin's pain, but also allows her to control the prosthesis with her own nervous system.

A key feature of the new technology, the researchers say, is that the prosthesis is attached to the bone through osseointegration, a process that uses bone tissue to wrap around the titanium to form a strong mechanical connection.

The biointegration of titanium implants with bone tissue creates opportunities for amputees to have more natural prosthetic limbs and improve their quality of life. By combining osseointegration with reconstructive surgery, implanted electrodes and artificial intelligence, people can restore natural functions that have been accidentally lost in unprecedented ways.