• Giacomo Valle, Alberto Mazzoni, Francesco Iberite, Edoardo D'Anna, Ivo Strauss, Giuseppe Granata, Marco Controzzi, Francesco Clemente, Giulio Rognini, Christian Cipriani, Thomas Stieglitz, Francesco Maria Petrini, Paolo Maria Rossini, and Silvestro Micera.
• Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Translational Neuroengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics and Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1202, Switzerland; BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56025, Italy.
• Neuron. 2018 Oct 10; 100 (1): 37-45.e7.

AbstractPeripheral intraneural stimulation can provide tactile information to amputees. However, efforts are still necessary to identify encoding strategy eliciting percepts that are felt as both natural and effective for prosthesis control. Here we compared the naturalness and efficacy of different encoding strategies to deliver neural stimulation to trans-radial amputees implanted with intraneural electrodes. Biomimetic frequency modulation was perceived as more natural, while amplitude modulation enabled better performance in tasks requiring fine identification of the applied force. Notably, the optimal combination of naturalness and sensitivity of the tactile feedback can be achieved with "hybrid" encoding strategies based on simultaneous biomimetic frequency and amplitude neuromodulation. These strategies improved the gross manual dexterity of the subjects during functional task while maintaining high levels of manual accuracy. They also improved prosthesis embodiment, reducing abnormal phantom limb perceptions ("telescoping effect"). Hybrid strategies are able to provide highly sensitive and natural percepts and should be preferred. VIDEO ABSTRACT.Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

28 keywords...

hide…