Bio-robotics using interaction between neuron and muscle for development of living prosthesis

Abstract

In this study, we proposed to develop a new type of living prosthesis which has almost the same dynamics as that of the neuromuscular control system. Our prosthesis consisted of tissue engineered skeletal muscle fabricated with living skeletal muscle cells, and a PDMS micro hand. Rat skeletal cells were mixed with collagen gel to construct three-dimensional artificial tissues for the actuator of the living prosthesis. The skeletal muscle gel had similar properties to natural skeletal muscle tissues. The contraction displacement was determined by the frequency of electrical stimulation. This micro hand was successfully controlled by estimated neural signals from surface electromyogram (EMG). We could control the displacement of the PDMS micro hand by using an EMG signal.