Audio
Archive
2013
January
February
March
April
May
2012
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2011
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2010
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2009
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2008
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2007
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Subscribe
Nov. 30, 2007
Re-Wiring the Sense of Touch
|
|
Tweet |
|
Doctors have rewired the nerves of two people with amputated arms, re-routing the major nerves that carry sensation from the hand to the pectoral muscles in the chest. After the procedure, the patients can experience an object touching a portion of their chest in two ways at the same time -- the expected feeling of being touched on the chest, as well as the sensation of being touched on a missing hand. In this segment, Ira talks with one of the doctors involved in the project about how the re-wiring works, and whether it could lead to more effective prosthetic devices. |
Produced by Annette Heist, Senior Producer
Guests
-
Todd Kuiken
Director, Neural
Engineering Center for Artificial Limbs
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
FEATURED READING
Brilliant Blunders
by Mario Livio
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED BLOG POSTS
- Predicting Storms, Electroshock Therapy, Germaphiles, and More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our ...
- Meet Susan Barry, Neurobiologist and 3D Visionary
Susan Barry could only see in two dimensions until age 48, when her life changed forever.
- Smuggled Dinosaurs, Sick Sea Otters, Hairy Tongues, and More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our ...
- Meet Larry Rosenblum, Perceptual Psychologist and Magician
This scientist studies human powers of perception that we might not even know we have.
Discussion