Bionic Knee Implanted into Tissue Restores Normal Motion in Individuals
In a groundbreaking development, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a tissue-integrated bionic knee designed for individuals with above-the-knee amputations. This innovative prosthetic offers several key advantages over traditional prostheses, providing users with enhanced mobility, control, comfort, and a more natural experience.
The new bionic knee is directly integrated with the user’s muscle and bone tissue, a significant departure from traditional prostheses that use a socket to hold the residual limb. This tissue integration offers greater stability and allows for more precise, intuitive control of the prosthetic limb’s movement.
One of the most notable benefits of the bionic knee is improved functional mobility. Users can walk faster, climb stairs, and avoid obstacles more easily compared to traditional prostheses. This translates into more natural and versatile movement during everyday activities.
Another advantage of the tissue-integrated bionic knee is enhanced embodiment and comfort. Participants in a clinical study reported that the limb felt like a natural part of their own body rather than a separate device. This sense of embodiment reduces the psychological and physical disconnect often experienced with conventional prostheses.
Crucially, the prosthesis operates under direct control from the user’s nervous system, enabling more fluid and responsive motion. This integration effectively makes the bionic knee an extension of the user’s own body rather than just a tool.
The new bionic knee also offers a greater level of prosthetic embodiment. Unlike traditional prostheses, the user's limb is within the socket, providing a closer connection to their own body. This increased embodiment reduces the risk of falls or instability on uneven surfaces, enhancing user safety.
Hugh Herr, a professor at MIT and the senior author of the new study, is excited about the potential of the tissue-integrated bionic knee. He is also the co-director of the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics at MIT and an associate member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research. Tony Shu PhD '24 is the lead author of the study.
The new system is considered a significant advance in prosthetic technology, offering users enhanced mobility, control, comfort, and a more natural experience overall. The study on the tissue-integrated bionic knee appears today in Science. The bionic knee is not merely a tool but an integral part of self.
- The groundbreaking study on the tissue-integrated bionic knee, led by Professor Hugh Herr at MIT, has been published in the journal Science.
- By operating under direct control from the user’s nervous system, the new bionic knee provides a more fluid and responsive motion, effectively becoming an extension of the user’s own body.
- This innovative prosthetic, which offers a greater level of prosthetic embodiment, could potentially revolutionize the field of medical-conditions related to health-and-wellness, particularly in technology-driven research for individuals with above-the-knee amputations.
