Virtual Reality and Neural Stimulation to Help Amputees Use Their Prostheses

Researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland have developed a new technique to help amputees use their prostheses. The method involves virtual reality and neural stimulation to help change an amputee’s “phantom limb” to more closely match their prosthetic limb, making it easier and more natural to use. Amputees frequently experience sensations from their missing limbs. Typically, such “phantom limbs” are perceived as much smaller than the original limb. Commercially available prosthetic limbs do not typically offer experiences of sensation and touch, and they also match the size of the original limb, leading to a discrepancy between what an amputee experiences (i.e. their small phantom limb) and the reality of using a prosthetic limb. This might make someone feel clumsy or uncomfortable, and can limit how often amputees use their prostheses.