Bone-anchored bionic arm that connects to bone, muscle, and nerves
Official title: A Neuromusculoskeletal Interface for Bionic Arms: A Randomized Crossover Study
Funded at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab · NIH-11009478 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A bone‑anchored prosthesis with implanted muscle and nerve interfaces to help people with arm amputations control a bionic arm more naturally.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,160,832 |
| NIH project number | 4UH3NS127063-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11009478 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with an upper‑limb amputation who are medically eligible for osseointegration surgery, willing to undergo implant procedures, and able to attend follow‑up visits are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot safely have surgery, have ongoing infection or poor bone health in the residual limb, or have very short residual limbs may not get benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have an upper‑limb amputation, this project will use a metal implant in the residual arm bone (osseointegration) plus implanted sensors that pick up muscle and nerve signals to drive a prosthetic arm. Participants will have surgeries to place the implants, learn to use the bionic arm with special decoding software, and take part in a randomized crossover timeline where different control setups are tried and compared. Researchers will compare how well people perform everyday tasks, how comfortable the prosthesis feels, and how reliable control is across the different approaches. Follow-up visits will include training, tests of function, and monitoring for safety and implant health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give people with arm amputations more natural, stable control of a prosthesis with better comfort than socket systems.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier small studies of osseointegration and implanted neuromuscular interfaces have shown promising improvements in comfort and control, but larger randomized comparisons like this are still limited.
Where this research is happening
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Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hargrove, Levi John — Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
- Study coordinator: Hargrove, Levi John
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.