Researchers have created the MiniTouch device that allows prosthetic limbs to sense temperature.
The device integrates off-the-shelf electronics without requiring surgical intervention, making it readily accessible as an enhancement to existing commercial prosthetic limbs.
The MiniTouch device is a functional artificial limb that has been fitted with fingertip sensors to sense and respond to temperature just like a living hand.
In a groundbreaking development, researchers have created the MiniTouch device that allows prosthetic limbs to sense temperature. This innovation is a significant step towards restoring the spectrum of sensory experiences for individuals with amputations and improving their quality of life. The device integrates off-the-shelf electronics without requiring surgical intervention, making it readily accessible as an enhancement to existing commercial prosthetic limbs.
The MiniTouch device is a functional artificial limb that has been fitted with fingertip sensors to sense and respond to temperature just like a living hand. The device provides a realistic sense of hot and cold in the missing phantom hand by delivering thermal information directly into nerve areas on the amputee's residual limb, which their brain believes are part of their body.
Fabrizio Fidati, a 57-year-old transradial amputee who tested the device, found that sensations of hot and cold were actually more intense in his phantom hand than in his natural hand. The MiniTouch increased Fabrizio's ability to distinguish between real and prosthetic arms when blindfolded although his accuracy was higher with his intact hand.
The technology is a step towards prosthetic limbs that restore a full range of senses, improving both their usefulness and acceptance by those who wear them. The MiniTouch device has the potential to revolutionize how amputees interact with their environment and enhance their emotional connection to artificial limbs.
The MiniTouch device allows people with amputations to experience natural temperature sensations using their prostheses.
, The approach could also enable people with artificial limbs to perceive whether an object was dangerously hot and help them distinguish between different materials.
Fabrizio, a 57-year-old whose right arm was amputated below the elbow, tested the device and found he could discriminate between identical-looking bottles containing cold, hot or room temperature water with 100% accuracy.
The MiniTouch increased Fabrizio's ability to distinguish between real and prosthetic arms when blindfolded although his accuracy was higher with his intact hand.
Fabrizio said the phantom sensation in his missing hand was more intense than in his intact hand when perceiving hot or cold cubes.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in that it implies the prosthetic limb device can sense temperature difference when it only reproduces temperatures from 20C to 40C. The article also states that the MiniTouch increased Fabrizio's accuracy but does not provide any specific numbers or percentages.
The sentence 'To give a natural sensation, you cannot do it without temperature,' is deceptive as the device only reproduces temperatures from 20C to 40C.
The sentence 'In addition, the MiniTouch increased Fabrizio's accuracy, although not speed,' is deceptive as no specific numbers or percentages are provided.
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses a prosthetic limb device that allows people with amputations to experience temperature sensations using their prostheses. The author uses language such as 'natural' and 'social aspect of touch', which could be seen as biased towards the idea that artificial limbs should feel like natural ones, rather than focusing on the practical benefits of being able to sense temperature in a prosthetic hand.
Fabrizio said when using the device Fabrizio could discriminate between identical-looking bottles containing cold, hot, or room-temperature water, with 100% accuracy.
Shokur added that the approach could also enable people with artificial limbs to perceive whether an object was dangerously hot and help them distinguish between different materials.
The MiniTouch increased Fabrizio's ability to distinguish between real and prosthetic arms when blindfolded although his accuracy was higher with his intact hand.
The team say the innovation is a first and paves the way for integrating a host of sensations into artificial limbs.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author of the article has a conflict of interest with one or more topics provided. The author is affiliated with Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne and researchers from this institution are mentioned in the article as having contributed to its development.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of prosthetic limb devices as they are reporting on research conducted by their colleague at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne. The article also mentions Fabrizio who is likely affiliated with the institute.
A sensor on the index finger of a man's prosthetic hand connects to a spot on his arm that stimulates nerves once destined for the missing limb.
, The device made it possible for him to ace a sorting task: separate as many stainless steel blocks that are either cold (20°C) or hot (40°C) as he could in one minute.
The technology is a step toward prosthetic limbs that restore a full range of senses, improving both their usefulness and acceptance by those who wear them.
, In tests, the man could identify cold, cool and hot bottles of liquid with perfect accuracy; tell the difference between plastic, glass and copper significantly better than chance; and sort steel blocks by temperature with around 75 percent accuracy.
, The device also improved Fabrizio's ability to tell whether he was touching an artificial or human arm. His accuracy was 80% with the device turned on, compared with 60% with it off.
Accuracy
The device made it possible for him to ace a sorting task: separate as many stainless steel blocks that are either cold (20°C) or hot (40°C) as he could in one minute.
In tests, the man could identify cold, cool and hot bottles of liquid with perfect accuracy; tell the difference between plastic, glass and copper significantly better than chance; and sort steel blocks by temperature with around 75 percent accuracy.
The MiniTouch device allows people with amputations to experience natural temperature sensations using their prostheses.
Fabrizio Fidati, an amputee who tested the device, reported that sensations of hot and cold were actually more intense in his phantom hand than in his natural hand.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in that it claims the man can 'ace a sorting task' when he only correctly sorted 75% of steel blocks by temperature. The article also states that the device made it possible for him to identify cold and hot bottles with perfect accuracy but does not provide any evidence or data to support this claim.
The article claims the man can 'ace a sorting task' when he only correctly sorted 75% of steel blocks by temperature.
The man was able to sort steel blocks by temperature with around 75 percent accuracy, researchers report February 9 in Med.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority by citing the work of a team of researchers in Italy and Switzerland. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the importance of restoring touch to prosthetic limbs. Additionally, there is no evidence presented that supports any claims made about the device's effectiveness beyond what was reported in previous studies.
]The ability to differentiate between cold, cool and hot objects advances efforts to restore touch[
A team of researchers in Italy and Switzerland attached the device, called MiniTouch, to the prosthetic hand of a 57-year-old man named Fabrizio who has an above-the-wrist amputation. In tests, the man could identify cold, cool and hot bottles of liquid with perfect accuracy; tell the difference between plastic, glass and copper significantly better than chance; and sort steel blocks by temperature with around 75 percent accuracy.
The device also improved Fabrizio's ability to tell whether he was touching an artificial or human arm. His accuracy was 80 percent with the device turned on, compared with 60 percent with it off.
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article reports on a new device that allows amputees to sense temperature with their prosthetic hand. The author of the article is Fabrizio who works at EPFL and collaborates with Jamani Caillet/EPFL and Luke Osborn of Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. Solaiman Shokur of EPFL also contributed to the research.
Fabrizio is an author on the article
Luke Osborn and Jamani Caillet are collaborators with Fabrizio on this project
The device was developed at EPFL where Fabrizio works
The MiniTouch device enables amputees to accurately sense and discriminate temperatures, facilitating more natural interactions with their environment.
This innovation requires no surgery for integration into existing commercial prosthetic limbs, making it a readily accessible enhancement.
Beyond functional benefits, the device contributes to a greater sense of prosthesis embodiment and affective touch, fostering a deeper emotional connection between amputees and their artificial limbs.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the MiniTouch device is a significant advancement towards fully restoring the spectrum of sensory experiences to individuals with limb loss. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when they say 'For the first time, we're really close to restoring the full palette of sensations to amputees.' This statement exaggerates and oversells what is being achieved by this technology.
The MiniTouch device enables amputees to accurately sense and discriminate temperatures
This innovation requires no surgery for integration into existing commercial prosthetic limbs, making it a readily accessible enhancement.
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author of the article has a conflict of interest on the topic of prosthetic limbs and thermal sensation as they are affiliated with EPFL/Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. The senior authors also have a conflict of interest.
The MiniTouch device is a functional artificial limb that has been fitted with fingertip sensors to sense and respond to temperature just as a living hand does.
Fabrizio Fidati reported that sensations of hot and cold were actually more intense in his phantom hand than in his natural hand.
Accuracy
The MiniTouch device allows people with amputations to experience natural temperature sensations using their prostheses.
<br>Fabrizio Fidati reported that sensations of hot and cold were actually more intense in his phantom hand than in his natural hand.
In tests, the man could identify cold, cool and hot bottles of liquid with perfect accuracy; tell the difference between plastic, glass and copper significantly better than chance; and sort steel blocks by temperature with around 75 percent accuracy.
<br>The device also improved Fabrizio's ability to tell whether he was touching an artificial or human arm. His accuracy was 80% with the device turned on, compared with 60% with it off.
Deception
(90%)
The article describes a new technology that allows amputees to feel temperature in their prosthetic limbs. The device provides a realistic sense of hot and cold by delivering thermal information to nerve areas on the residual limb that the brain believes are still connected to the missing hand. This is an important advance for the functionality of prosthetic limbs, as it adds a human element to touch and creates a stronger sense of embodiment. The article also mentions other researchers working on improving prosthetics' abilities to feel textures and proprioception.
The device provides a realistic sense of hot and cold in the missing hand by delivering thermal information to nerve areas on the residual limb that the brain believes are still connected to the missing hand.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article describes a new technology that allows amputees to sense temperature using their prosthetic limbs. The device provides a realistic sense of hot and cold in the missing hand by delivering thermal information to nerve areas on the amputee's residual limb that the brain believes are still connected to the missing hand. This is an important advance for the functionality of prosthetic limbs, as it adds a human element to touch. The article also mentions other researchers working on improving prosthetics abilities to feel textures and proprioception.
The device provides a realistic sense of hot and cold in the missing hand by delivering thermal information to nerve areas on the amputee's residual limb that the brain believes are still connected to the missing hand.
Bias
(85%)
The article describes a new technology that allows amputees to feel temperature in their prosthetic limbs. The device provides a realistic sense of hot and cold by delivering thermal information to nerve areas on the residual limb that the brain believes are still connected to the missing hand. This adds an important human element to touch, creating a stronger sense of embodiment for amputees.
The ability to sense temperature is an important advance for prosthetic limbs functionality.
The MiniTouch device provides a realistic sense of hot and cold in the phantom hand by delivering thermal information to nerve areas on the residual limb that are believed to be still connected to the missing hand. This adds an important human element to touch, creating a stronger sense of embodiment for amputees.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author of the article has a conflict of interest with Fabrizio Fidati and Solaiman Shokur as they are both affiliated with the company that created the prosthetic limb being discussed in the article.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of prosthetic limbs as they are reporting on research conducted by Fabrizio Fidati and Francesca Rossi. The article does not disclose this conflict.
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