A man who lost his left hand can now effortlessly open jars, zip up a zipper and use a screwdriver, thanks to a magnetically powered prosthetic hand, the world’s first.
The first bionic limb of its kind uses tiny implanted magnets in the forearm that respond to the amputee’s brain signals, allowing him or her to precisely control the movements of a prosthesis.
An Italian study from the BioRobotics Institute has developed a robotic hand that converts signals from six magnets implanted in the remaining arm into fine, dexterous movements.
Daniel, 34, successfully tested the bionic hand. He used the prosthesis for six weeks and described it as ‘moving my own hand’.
This technique involves placing magnets several millimeters in size in the muscles of the forearm that previously controlled the now severed hand.
The first of its kind bionic hand uses only magnets and muscles to control movement. It was successfully tested on its first patient, a 34-year-old Italian named Daniel (pictured), who used the prosthesis for six weeks
A research team in Pisa, Italy, from the BioRobotics Institute has developed the robotic hand that can convert signals from the brain into movement using small magnets implanted in the muscles of the forearm
By moving these muscles, an amputee like Daniel can send magnetic signals to a special computer program, which converts these signals into precise movements of the robotic hand.
This allows him to make fine movements comparable to those of a flesh-and-blood human.
“There are 20 muscles in the forearm and many of them control hand movements,” says Professor Christian Cipriani of the BioRobotics Institute at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna.
‘Many people who have lost a hand still have the feeling that the hand is still there and that the remaining muscles are responding to the commands from the brain.’
Daniel, who lost his left hand in 2022, was selected as a volunteer for the study because he could still feel the presence of his hand.
The remaining muscles in his arm still responded to the signals from his brain.
In April 2023, he underwent surgery to implant six magnets in his arm.
For each of these studies, the team of surgeons located and isolated the specific muscle that the magnet was to act on, and then mapped this pattern with the computer program.
The results of the experiment far exceeded the most optimistic expectations.
When the muscle contracts, the magnet moves and a special algorithm translates this change into a specific command for the robotic hand
Daniel, who lost his left hand in 2022, was selected as a volunteer for the study because he could still sense the presence of his hand and the remaining muscles in his arm responded to his brain signals
Daniel could pick up and move objects of different shapes and perform everyday tasks such as opening a jar, using a screwdriver, cutting with a knife, and closing a zipper.
He could use his fingertips and control the force with which he grasped fragile objects.
“This system allowed me to regain my lost feelings and emotions: it felt like I was moving my own hand,” said Daniel.
“This result rewards decades of research. We have finally developed a functional prosthesis that meets the needs of a person who has lost a hand,” said Professor Cipriani.
The results of the trial were presented in the scientific journal Science Robotics and represent an important step forward for the future of prostheses.
He could control the movements of his fingers, pick up and move objects of different shapes, perform classic everyday actions such as opening a jar, using a screwdriver and cutting with a knife
Currently, the NHS does not fund the use of Daniel’s advanced bionic arm.
However, NHS England announced in November 2022 thatDozens of amputees would now have access to similar bionic arms that can mimic real hand movements.
Previously, prostheses were supplied by the NHS were basic models, with limited opening and closing movements. Others were cosmetic and had no practical function.
But the newer bionic hands are significantly better than these older models.
Last year, a team of engineers and surgeons from Sweden, Australia, Italy and the US developed a brain-controlled bionic arm.
Two titanium points were permanently placed in the patient’s bone, creating a connection point between the patient’s arm and the prosthesis.
This type of surgery, called osseointegration, is key to the new bionic technology, which was developed by Prensilia, an Italian prosthetics company that also created the bionic arm that uses magnets.
It replaces the need for a socket to attach the amputee’s limb to their prosthesis, which can be uncomfortable, ill-fitting, and difficult to put on and take off.
Electrodes were then implanted into the patient’s severed nerves and arm muscles and attached to the arm.
This allows the device to pick up signals from the patient’s motor commands: the biological process that initiates the body’s movements.
According to experts, the bionic arms, estimated to cost between £25,000 and £80,000, could be used by children as young as nine.
Eligible patients must have enough muscle in their upper arm to send signals that create intuitive movements.