Thought-Controlled Artificial Arm

A man in the United States who had both arms amputated at the shoulder after an accident is now using a thought-controlled artificial arm. He can climb a ladder, use a paint roller, and even hug his grandchildren. “His left arm is a bionic device controlled by his brain,” explains the Cable News Network. “He thinks, ‘Close hand,’ and electrical signals sent through surgically re-routed nerves make it happen.” Electrodes pick up muscle activity caused by thought-generated impulses and relay them to a computer in the arm. The computer activates motors in the artificial limb, making its parts imitate certain movements of a normal elbow and hand.