Sensory Restoration of Perception of Limb Movement and Contact TASK GROUP DESCRIPTION Background

Neural control of limb movement relies extensively upon the interactions between sensory feedback and motor activation in order to execute functional movement. Sensory receptors are pervasive, and are located in muscles, joints, and skin. These receptors supply information regarding muscle force, length and velocity of movement, joint position, and skin sensation, such as touch, pressure, and temperature. Various forms of paralysis interrupt the motor and sensory tracts, causing not only loss of movement but also loss of perception. Clearly, a sensory loss also occurs with limb loss due to amputation. A smart prosthetic might be expected to restore both motor and sensory function, giving the user the ability to both perceive limb position and contact, but also integrating this subconscious information into the actual control of the prosthesis (or neural prosthesis). Current limb prostheses and neural prostheses have initially focused on the motor elements, either through the powered component of the prosthetic or the electrically stimulated muscles, or the control aspects, for example via myoelectric control or physical movement that is sensed. However, there is considerably less attentio