Abstract
Limb amputation not only reduces the motor abilities of an individual, but also destroys afferent channels that convey essential sensory information to the brain. Significant efforts have been made in the area of upper limb prosthetics to restore sensory feedback, through the stimulation of residual sensory elements. Most of the past research focused on the replacement of tactile functions. On the other hand, the difficulties in eliciting proprioceptive sensations using either haptic or (neural) electrical stimulation, has limited researchers to rely on sensory substitution. Here we propose the myokinetic stimulation interface, that aims at restoring natural proprioceptive sensations by exploiting the so-called tendon illusion, elicited through the vibration of magnets implanted inside residual muscles. We present a prototype which exploits 12 electromagnetic coils to vibrate up to four magnets implanted in a forearm mockup. The results demonstrated that it is possible to generate highly directional and frequency-selective vibrations. The system proved capable of activating a single magnet, out of many. Hence, this interface constitutes a promising approach to restore naturally perceived proprioception after an amputation. Indeed, by implanting several magnets in independent muscles, it would be possible to restore proprioceptive sensations perceived as coming from single digits.
Highlights
Limb amputation reduces the motor abilities of an individual, and destroys afferent channels that convey essential sensory information to the brain
Myoelectric prostheses are instead controlled by means of processed electromyographic signals recorded from residual muscles
Most of the past research in this area focused on the replacement of tactile functions, using different stimulation strategies
Summary
Limb amputation reduces the motor abilities of an individual, and destroys afferent channels that convey essential sensory information to the brain. We propose the myokinetic stimulation interface, that aims at restoring natural proprioceptive sensations by exploiting the so-called tendon illusion, elicited through the vibration of magnets implanted inside residual muscles. Proprioception, or the sense of oneself, is used by the brain to track the relative position of the parts of the body, as well as their movement[5] This information is used to control the execution of motor tasks, refining balance and movement in general. In its absence, motor execution is prone to errors, leading to clumsy, poorly coordinated movements, inadequately adapted to complex tasks[5,6] Besides this critical role, the congruency between intentional movements and the concurrent sensory feedback from the movements themselves provides a sense of authorship, or agency, that distinguishes one’s own actions from those of o thers[7]. Proprioception is intimately related to kinesthesia, which corresponds to the sense of movement of body parts[8]
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