Feasibility of Neural Feedback for Lower Limb Amputees

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of providing sensation of the missing limb to individuals with lower limb loss, including above and below knee amputees. The approach involves delivering small electrical currents directly to remaining nerves via implanted stimulating electrodes. These small electrical currents cause the nerves to generate signals that are then transferred to your brain similar to how information about the foot and lower limb used to be transferred to your brain prior to the amputation. Individuals also have the option to have recording electrodes implanted within muscles of the lower limb(s) in an attempt to develop a motor controller that would enable the user to have intuitive control of a robotic prosthetic leg.

Electrodes are surgically implanted on one to four nerves of the residual limb. An external wearable device controls the delivery of electrical pulses to the implanted system. The participant will be asked to verbally describe the perceived sensations and highlight their locations on a drawing of a foot presented to them on an electronic screen. An instrumented prosthesis will be developed such that perceived sensations would correspond to prosthesis interactions with the floor. This instrumented prosthesis, also known as a sensory neuroprosthesis, will be worn while the participant is engaging in various functional tasks, such as standing, walking, or climbing stairs, or with visual or mental distractions. Intramuscular recording electrodes can be implanted in the lower limb(s) and/or hip muscles in order to obtain electromyography (EMG) signals. The EMG recordings from the residual muscles will be used to develop an algorithm which can operate an advanced robotic prosthesis in which the movement of the joint(s) could be controlled.