Researchers are building the most complex arm in existence today

It’s easy to take little things like buttoning a shirt, zipping up a coat, or tying your shoes for granted. For Melissa Loomis of Canton, Ohio, these tasks aren’t so simple. In 2015, following an accident, doctors had to amputate her right arm to her elbow.

At The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, researchers are using a Myo armband on Melissa’s upper right arm to read the electrical activity of her muscles. Melissa underwent targeted muscle reinnervation, a type of surgery that allows an amputee to operate the prosthetic arm. Now, when Melissa thinks about opening and closing the robotic arm, the arm reacts accordingly. Earlier this year, Johnny Matheney, who had his arm amputated due to cancer, had the same surgery.

The Myo armband uses EMG sensors, similar to those used in hospitals, to read the electrical activity of muscles. It also uses a highly sensitive motion sensor to detect motions and rotations.

This is one example of robotics that are pushing the limits of human-computer interaction and it’s just the beginning of how we can push technology forward, seamlessly integrating it with our body. Read the full story on Motherboard by Vice.