Magnets Implanted in Muscles Give Prosthetic Hand a Sense of Movement

Researchers at Sant'Anna School in Pisa and Cleveland Clinic found the brain perceives finger movements as coordinated patterns rather than isolated actions. A magnet-based interface implanted in the forearm let a 34-year-old participant feel his prosthetic hand open and close naturally over a six-week trial.

• Magnets in residual forearm muscle vibrate without stimulating the skin
• A 34-year-old tested the interface with the Mia Hand prosthesis for six weeks
• Both existing neural interfaces produced sensations of coordinated finger movement
• Next step is a permanent implant for control and sensation at once