Recent advancements in technology have revolutionized the world of assistive and medical tools, and prosthetic limbs are no exception. We’ve come a long way from the rigid, purely cosmetic prosthetics of the past. Today, we’re seeing the rise of softer, more realistic designs, many incorporating robotic components that significantly expand their functionality. Despite these exciting developments, a major challenge remains: How do we make these robotic limbs easier and more intuitive for users to control?GET EXPERT SECURITY ALERTS, MUST-KNOW TECH TIPS, AND THE LATEST DIGITAL TRENDS — STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. SIGN UP FOR KURT’S THE CYBERGUY REPORT NOW. Soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. (Science Robotics)The control problem: A barrier to real-world useThink about it — a highly advanced prosthetic hand is only as good as the user’s ability to control it. If the control system is clunky or difficult to learn, it limits the prosthetic’s effectiveness and ultimately impacts the user’s quality of life. Most commercially available robotic limbs still struggle with this issue. Soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. (Science Robotics)SOFT ROBOTIC ARMBAND GIVES PROSTHETIC HAND USERS NATURAL CONTROLA breakthrough from IIT and Imperial College LondonNow, researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Imperial College London have unveiled a promising solution: a new soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. Their work, published in Science Robotics, introduces a novel control approach that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column. Soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. (Science Robotics)NEW PROSTHETICS RESTORE NATURAL MOVEMENT VIA NERVE CONNECTION Decoding the body’s natural hand movementsSo, how does it work? Let’s break it down. When we perform everyday tasks, our fingers move in coordinated patterns called “postural synergies.” These synergies are fundamental to how we grasp and manipulate objects. The team, led by Antonio Bicchi and Dario Farina, developed a method that integrates these postural synergies with the analysis of electrical signals from the nervous system. By decoding the activity of spinal motoneurons (the nerve cells that control muscle movement), they can predict the hand movements a user intends to make. This information is then used to control the prosthetic hand.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. (Science Robotics)BREAKTHROUGH PROSTHETIC FINGERS REVOLUTIONIZE THE LIVES OF AMPUTEESSoft materials, smart designThe hand itself is an impressive feat of engineering, combining soft materials for the skin, tendons and ligaments with rigid materials for the “bones.” According to Bicchi, the artificial bones “roll on top of each other, instead of turning around pins such as robot hands normally do.” This, along with the tendon arrangement, allows the hand to adapt to the shape of objects, mimicking the natural, intelligent grasping behavior of a human hand. One of the most exciting features of this new prosthetic hand is its ability to perform in-hand manipulation. This means users can not only grasp an object but also adjust their grip and move the object within their hand — imagine being able to open a water bottle using only your prosthetic hand.HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET Soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. (Science Robotics)Promising results in initial trialsThe researchers put their creation to the test with both able-bodied participants and individuals with prosthetic needs. The results were encouraging, showing that the hand allowed users to perform complex movements and manipulate objects with greater precision and naturalness compared to other prosthetic hands. The tests showed that combined neural and postural synergies allowed accurate and natural control of coordinated multidigit actions, achieving over 90% of the continuous mechanical manifold, and the target hit rate for specific hand postures was higher with neural synergies compared with muscle synergies.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE Soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. (Science Robotics)The future of prosthetics is looking softer and smarterThis innovative soft prosthetic hand represents a significant step forward in the field. The control approach and design principles developed by the IIT and Imperial College London team could pave the way for more advanced prosthetic limbs in the future. While further refinement and clinical trials are needed, this technology holds immense potential to improve the lives of individuals with limb loss.SUBSCRIBE TO KURT’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICES Soft prosthetic hand designed for more intuitive control. (Science Robotics)Kurt’s key takeawaysThis research highlights the importance of mimicking the body’s natural mechanisms when designing prosthetics. By combining soft robotics with advanced neural decoding, scientists are creating prosthetic limbs that are not only functional but also intuitive and natural to use. This could truly revolutionize the field and empower users to regain lost abilities and improve their quality of life.If you or someone you know could benefit from this type of technology, what specific tasks or activities would it enable them to do? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/ContactCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? 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Soft robotic prosthetic hand uses nerve signals for more natural control
