Communications of the ACM
Engineers Add Sense of Touch to Prosthetic Hand
Johns Hopkins University researchers have developed "electronic skin" that can provide a sense of touch to a prosthetic hand.
Credit: Larry Canner/Johns Hopkins University
With funding from the U.S. National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) researchers have engineered an "electronic skin" that can incorporate a sense of touch into a prosthetic hand.
The "e-dermis" is equipped with biosensors that emulate human touch and pain receptors; they are electronically connected to nerves in the user’s arm that relay touch and pain sensations to the brain.
JHU's Luke Osborn says the e-dermis "will allow the wearer to tell the shape of what he or she is picking up. Sharp objects will actually cause the feeling of pain, which is an attempt to give the person a range of realistic sensations."
The researchers are working to expand the skin's capabilities to include temperature perception.
From National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
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