Improving control and touch for robotic arms and prosthetic hands
The interplay between kinematic and force representations in motor and somatosensory cortices during reaching, grasping, and object transport
This project develops methods to help people control robotic arms and restore a sense of touch by using signals from the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251772 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will record activity from the brain areas that control movement and sense touch while subjects reach, grasp, and move objects. They will study how the brain represents both motion (kinematics) and forces so prosthetic controllers can shape the hand and apply the right pressure. The team will also use tiny electrical stimulation of the touch area to recreate tactile sensations that users can feel. Together these steps aim to combine better movement decoding with touch feedback to improve real-world object handling with prosthetic limbs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with arm or hand loss or paralysis who are candidates for brain-controlled prosthetics and willing to participate in neural interface research would be the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People without motor impairment, or those who cannot undergo or tolerate implanted neural interfaces, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could let people using brain-controlled prosthetic arms handle objects more naturally and feel touch through their devices.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab studies have shown promising brain-controlled arm movement and some restored touch using intracortical stimulation, but combining force-aware control with reliable tactile feedback for dexterous hand use is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hatsopoulos, Nicholas G — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Hatsopoulos, Nicholas G
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 below.