Amputees often experience paresthesia and difficulties using prosthetic limbs because of impaired sensorimotor processing. Artificial peripheral nerve stimulation has shown promise in restoring brain–body communication for sensory processing. In a recent Nature Communications publication, Valle et al. report a biomimetic neurostimulation technique that improved mobility in people with lower-limb amputation who wear a neuroprosthetic leg, as part of a clinical trial. They developed an in silico model to mimic natural touch sensations in the foot, which estimated stimulation patterns for mechanoreceptors and corresponding leg nerves during movement. In an animal model, peripheral stimulation using these biomimetic signals resulted in neural activity in the dorsal spinal cord that was closer to natural touch signals than traditional stimulation. When they received biomimetic feedback, amputees wearing neuroprosthetic legs were able to walk faster and with more confidence, with reduced mental strain in dual-task scenarios. This neurorobotic intervention offers insight into the neural dynamics of natural touch perception and shows promise in enhancing the quality of life of people with impairments.

Original reference: Nat. Commun. 15, 1151 (2024)