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How Can Someone Control a Machine With Her Thoughts?

By Layton, Julia; HowStuffWorks,
Publication Date: February 2007

Article focuses on a bionic arm developed by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in Illinois. The system utilizes nerve control signals via electrodes placed on the surface of the chest muscles. Each electrode controls one of six motors that move the prosthetic arm’s joints. When the user thinks “open hand,” the brain sends the corresponding signal to the appropriate nerve located in the chest. When the nerve ending receives the signal, the chest muscle it's connected to contracts. The electrode then detects the activation and tells the motor that controls the bionic hand to open. A woman with a left arm amputation has successfully utilized the system in order to open a drawer.
Published by: Convex Group   (Website:www.convexgroup.com)

Link to text: http://science.howstuffworks.com/bionic-arm.htm
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