Highly integrated bionic prostheses resolve the thermal asymmetry between residual amputated and contralateral limbs
Journal article, 2023

Residual limbs after amputation present colder temperatures than unaffected contralateral limbs. This temperature asymmetry has been attributed to autonomic and cognitive factors, such as changes in body representation. An ideal limb replacement should restore the body representation and resolve the temperature asymmetry, but conventional prostheses, commonly characterized as disembodied, fail to do so. Neuromusculoskeletal prostheses are a new concept of artificial limbs that directly interface with the user's nerves, muscles, and skeleton, and are operated in daily life by bidirectionally transferring control and somatosensory information. Here, we show that the temperature asymmetry commonly found in people with amputations is resolved when using a neuromusculoskeletal prosthesis but reappears when it is removed. A potential explanation for this phenomenon might be the increased embodiment reported by users of neuromusculoskeletal prostheses, which in turn would suggest unconscious perceptual mechanisms mediating the temperature asymmetry commonly found between intact and residual limbs after amputation.

Author

Victoria Ashley Lang

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Signal Processing and Biomedical Engineering

University of Gothenburg

Center for Bionics and Pain Research

Maria Munoz-Novoa

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Center for Bionics and Pain Research

Max Jair Ortiz Catalan

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Center for Bionics and Pain Research

Bionics Institute

Scientific Reports

2045-2322 (ISSN) 20452322 (eISSN)

Vol. 13 1 6260

Subject Categories

Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified

Interaction Technologies

Human Computer Interaction

DOI

10.1038/s41598-023-33210-2

PubMed

37069299

More information

Latest update

5/5/2023 1