# 126. Amputees Feel Warmth In Their Missing Hand

- Show: [The Next Byte Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast)
- Published: 2023-06-13
- Length: 19m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-06-13-126-amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand
- Listen: https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/126-amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand-wp2QOgFp

## Summary

Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss research from EPFL that allows amputees to feel temperature in their phantom limbs using a non-invasive prosthetic system. The team discovered that stimulating specific spots on the residual limb triggers phantom sensations, which they leveraged by connecting heat sensors on the prosthetic hand to thermodes on the arm. This approach bypasses invasive surgery by letting the brain interpret the signals as temperature in the missing hand, a breakthrough validated by 27 patients.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-06-13-126-amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand#t=0) Introduction: Phantom Limb Temperature Sensation
- [2:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-06-13-126-amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand#t=164) The Accidental Discovery of Phantom Sensation
- [7:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-06-13-126-amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand#t=455) Building the Non-Invasive Prosthetic System
- [12:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-06-13-126-amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand#t=742) Clinical Validation and Future Implications

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- EPFL (company)
- Wevolver (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 90: Robotically Augmented People - Robot Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-06-21-episode-90-robotically-augmented-people-robot-talk-live) (Robot Talk)
- [Jeremiah Robison from Cionic creates bionic clothing to help patients walk better](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-06-10-jeremiah-robison-from-cionic-creates-bionic-clothing-to-help-patients-walk-bette) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [187: Self-Driving Arm (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-05-02-187-self-driving-arm-repeat) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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