Scientists in Rome have apparently successfully linked a robotic arm to a car crash victim who lost his forearm, allowing the victim to feel sensations and to control the limb using his thoughts.
According to an Associated Press report, 26-year-old Pierpaolo Petruzziello underwent a series of experiments last year wherein scientists implanted electrodes into the nerves located in what remained of his arm. The 5-year project, which cost an estimated 2 million Euros, was funded by the EU.
Petruzziello said that he felt like his lost arm had grown back again.
Still, the report points out that scientists did not actually attach the arm to the patient, but rather connected it solely through the electrodes. The next step will be to create a prosthetic that can be attached directly to the patient's nervous system.
For more on this fascinating scientific story, read the full AP story.
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